


Body Snatched

by BananaDew



Category: Lost Boys (Movies)
Genre: Acceptance, Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fivesome - F/M/M/M/M, Foursome - F/M/M/M, Half-Vampires, M/M, Movie: Lost Boys (1987), Multi, Polyamorous Character, Polyandry, Reincarnation, Santa Carla (Lost Boys), Self-Acceptance, Threesome - F/M/M, Vampires, World Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-07-08 20:22:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 22,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19875538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BananaDew/pseuds/BananaDew
Summary: Unearthly eyes pull and repel the strangest of people.The Emerson family, minus one lying, scheming politician father, are about to find themselves in the middle of an all out supernatural knot when they leave the dry heat of Phoenix, Arizona and move to sunny beaches Santa Carla, California. Only in this story they will be traveling with an additional family member. Waking up with amnesia six months ago, Nicole "Nicky" Emerson finds herself completely lost. She has no recollection of the people who claim to be her adopted family. She attaches herself to her only anchor in all the mess, the boy who saved her life; Michael Emerson. But all of the Emerson family are going to find this new move a challenge of the mind, body, and soul. Can love grow where monsters roam?





	1. Prologue: Soul Descending

Closing my eyes, I was happy it was for the last time. My life, what could be called such a thing, was finally coming to its perfect conclusion. Years of neglect taking that final breath from my lungs, a quiet hissing sound passing my lips. The darkness had long ago crept in front of my eyes, fading out anything that should have been able for me to see. The last of my strength was used to place a true smile on my lips, my heartbeat taking its last thump, so loud it drowned out everything happening in the hospital room from the yelling nurse who hit the code button to the shriveled lady in the corner breaking down for the first time, realizing she would never again see me. 

I’d like to think her tears were out of love. That she realized her only child was leaving her side forever. Warmth would radiate from my very bones if it were true. But years of being in her grasp has taught me she only cries for herself. This death, my death, would mean nothing more in the end but another reason to gain the attention this wicked woman craved. 

Congratulations to you, my mother. Soon they will rally around you, cry with you, lend their support, their care, and their means. Though my heart is stopping and I see only the darkness, pretend won’t you? Pretend the smile frozen on my lips are my last loving thoughts of you. Tell them, tell them all that in the end I suffered no more and my last thought was solely for your benefit. For them to take you in, for them to show you compassion.  
Lie my mother, lie as you always have. With this last thought, I leave your side. I wonder will there be stars so bright in the sky where my soul travels?


	2. Chapter One: Santa Carla, Murder Capital of the World

Eyes rapidly moved back and forth behind pale eyelids lined with raven feather-like eyelashes that could put anyone to shame. A delicate face lay resting against black leather, the contrast of creamy bronze skin and charcoal seeming to make a flattering picture of submissive rebellion. Soft snores, quiet and accompanied with a slowly rising chest played at the ear of a foreign body.

Sighing, Michael Emerson looked down at his adopted sister, Nicole Emerson, with a gentle expression as she laid against his shoulder sound asleep. There was a soft smile on her heart-shaped lips as if she was dreaming of something joyful, pure. Deep down, he hoped to God she was. Lord knew life had not been easy for his adoptive sister. In fact, he was ashamed to think about what she had been going through under the very same roof as him before he started paying attention. 

Closing his eyes, Michael leaned his head against the younger girl’s, his curly dark brown hair spiraling in tight curls against her cheek, tickling her nose slightly. He really wished he had realized sooner, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He just had to make sure he kept an eye on this wild girl of his, keep her safe even from herself. 

The land rover lurched suddenly to a stop causing the sleeping girl against Michael to slam against the warm body on the other side of her, this time causing the girl herself to wake up in a sudden scream of fright. 

“Jesus, Nicky that was my ear!” 

Sam Emerson pulled his headphones off his head and carefully closed the comic he had been reading shut to glare at his adopted sister. Being the baby of the family, Sam was protected from many things. He knew his parents got a divorce and despite financial problems with his lame mom, she had even still gotten custody of them all. He couldn’t help but be very displeased with moving all the way to Santa Carla, California, to live with a grandfather he had no memories of. 

Taking a calming breath, Nicole blinked a moment before focusing on Sam’s face. A warm sensation filled the girl’s chest as she stared at her younger brother. She felt so familiar with the boy, as though she knew him, truly knew him, his real character. 

“So-sorry, Sammy,” she mumbled before wiping her face with a black finger-less gloved hand. 

Honestly Nicole had no idea why she had even cried out. She had just been sleeping, having been bored and lulled to sleep from the ride of the road and the warmth of her brothers. Perhaps she had had a bad dream? Closing her eyes, Nicole tried to remember what she had been dreaming about but after a few minutes and several funny faces later she gave up. 

Sam glanced at his older sister and sighed inwardly. He couldn’t really be mad at her, she was too damn pretty. Plus when she made that sad face she reminded him of a puppy having just been kicked. He didn’t kick puppies damn it!

As if hearing his thoughts, Nanook barked from the front seat causing Lucy to turn and look at her three children with a motherly smile. 

“Perk up guys, we’re here! You’ll be able to explore and have loads of fun in no time, I promise.”

Michael rolled his eyes at his mother’s enthusiasm to the new start, his eyes trailing to his sister. His shoulder where she had been sleeping was growing colder by the second, bringing a frown to his thin pink lips. 

“Hey what’s that?” Sam suddenly exclaimed, having actually taken a moment to look outside a window at a sign. 

“Welcome to Santa Carla, California,” Nicole read, her eyes taking in the faded smiling faces of people on a boardwalk. Then, as her eyes slowly took in the next words to be seen, obviously added with spray paint, she couldn’t help but feel a tingle at the back of her skull. 

“… Murder Capital of the World,” she finished in a hushed voice, each one of her hands grasping onto her brother’s hands. 

“Oh that’s just great, mom. We move from Phoenix, a lovely warm place, to this! Santa Carla, Murder Capital of the world.” Sam huffed as he tried to bury the panic in his chest. The fear didn’t get any better as they pasted a woman posting a “have you seen this person” poster on what seemed to be a dozen more like it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment if you want to! I have never been good at chapter notes.


	3. Chapter Two: Grandpa… Wait, no TV?!

Lucy sighed, the light in her eyes dimming a bit at her son’s woeful expression and displeased tone. She was a sweet mother, just wanting to give her children – all her children – a better life. True, they no longer had the kind of money they were used to. In fact, her ex-husband could have reaped the rewards of their children in the divorce if not for the contract he signed to never look for them. He didn’t want anyone to know his dirty little secret. 

Sadly she knew, though it hadn’t been soon enough. That will always haunt her, but she was determined. 

“I’m sure it isn’t true. Look over there towards the ocean! Seems this place has a bit of fun to be had.” Pointing towards the boardwalk Ferris wheel, Lucy smiled as she saw Nicole and Sam perk up at the idea of riding the Ferris wheel. 

“Let’s get to Grandpa’s house and then maybe you can all go explore?” Lucy spoke quietly, directing her children towards the home she decided was the safest. 

Sam grumbled, but opened his comic book back to where he had been reading. Michael glared at the back of his mother’s head for a moment then turned to watch Nicole as she gazed out the window in wonder towards the direction of the boardwalk. He wondered why such a mundane looking place had caught her eye. Sure there was a Ferris wheel, but any traveling carnival had one of those. 

Lucy pulled the land rover up a gravel driveway before parking and climbing out, her eyes taking in the house she hadn’t once grown up in at all. It had been several years since she had been here. In fact, it had been since around the time she had meant the father of her sons. 

As her eyes roamed the house, she came to find a body-like shape laying in the doorway of the home. Eyebrows scrunching together, giving her a worried but confused look, Lucy made her way the shape slowly, her eyes welling up as she realized it was her father.

“D-dad? Dad?!” Lucy began to yell and shake her father, whom had been lying on the porch.

Michael, Nicole, and Sam ran to their mother to see what was going on, their eyes landing on the Deadman in her arms. 

“Ho-holy shit is that grandpa?” Sam screeched, quite like a girl, his eyes large and glued on the body in his mother’s arms. 

Frighten and confused, Nicole slowly leaned toward the body, her hand moving as though to palm the wrinkly old face. 

“If he’s dead, can we go back to Phoenix?” Sam asked.

Just as her fingers were going to brush against the old man’s roughly groomed cheek, his brown eyes flickered open and a smile bloomed on his lips. 

“Gotcha,” he roared, laughing, his rough voice filling everyone’s ears. “Plain’ dead. And from What I heard, doin’ a damn good job of it too.”

Taken aback, Nicole jumped back right into Michael’s chest, his arms instinctively wrapping around her protectively. 

“Oh dad,” Lucy groaned, her fearful expression changing to one of relief then annoyance. Pushing her father off her lap, she sent him a mysterious glare before glancing at her three children. 

“Forgive the ridiculous introductions, but this is your grandfather-“

“Just call me grandpa you little trolls.” The old man snorted at his daughter before rising to his feet and unlocking the front door to his home. Stepping past the threshold. He watched closely as his family entered his home one by one. 

“Hey grandpa, is it true that Santa Carla’s the murder capital of the world,” Michael asked as he stepped into the house.

Glancing over at his grandson, the old man scratched the back of his head. “Well, let me put it this way. If all the corpses buried around here were to stand up all at once, we’d have one hell of a population problem.”

As Sam came into the house, he snorted at the décor in the kitchen before heading in the main hall, his eyes taking in everything. Nicole followed suit, her wide ember colored eyes taking in the surroundings, her shoulders drooping into a comfortable position as she realized there was nothing to be afraid of. Michael in turn followed Nicole, his eyes however flashing to their grandfather in warning. 

Suddenly a strangled cry can be heard from the Den before Sam returned to the main hall, his face ashen.

“Wh-where’s the television?!”


	4. Chapter three: Contemplating the Future

Having settled into their new home in, each of the Emerson family turned in for the night. Sam curled up under his sheets with a flashlight and a comic book, Nanook laying across the foot of his bed. Michael did a few reps with his weights before collapsing on his own bed, his thoughts drifting to what the coming days would bring. Lucy sighed about where the family was going at this point, trying to assure her that she would find a job tomorrow on the boardwalk. And Nicole… 

“What you doing out here, girl? Ain’t safe to be out by yourself, even if it’s in your own yard,” came the rough but loveable voice of Lucy’s father. 

Turning, Nicole moved her gaze away from the far ocean shores where the tides quietly rolled in to the grey-haired old man watching her from the doorway of the house. Raising a delicately shaped eyebrow slightly, she gave the old man a questioning look. 

“Things really do go bump in the night in Santa Carla, best be careful. Wouldn’t want anything happening to my only grandchildren.” The old man gave his granddaughter a smile before holding out a warm callused hand out to her. 

Unsure of how she should respond, Nicole attentively reached out and took his hand, feeling him tug her a bit in the direction back through the house front door. Chewing on the inside of her left cheek, she wanted to ask if she counted as his grandchild, wanting to be reassured that she counted at all as a member of this family she had been thrown with a year ago when her own mother had had enough of the parent life. 

At least Nicole figured that’s what happened. In truth, she couldn’t remember anything about her life before she woke up a hospital bed staring into the gently smiling face of Lucy Emerson. She hadn’t even remembered her own name. But Lucy Emerson had been a kind soul, taking her into her home, caring for her. It was a shame her shelter had become her secret prison built with its own torturer. If Michael hadn’t come home early that night…

Turning away from her adopted grandfather, Nicole gently wiped the tears away from her cheeks. She didn’t want to recollect anything from before their move. 

“I’ll remember what you said, good night,” she mumbled softly before heading upstairs to sleep. 

Everyone was up early the next day. Lucy was determined to find a job and even encouraged Michael and Nicole to look for some kind of work along the boardwalk.

“Hey Nicky, want a ride,” Michael asked as he got on his motorbike, determined not to be a social outcast his first day by riding in his mom’s car. 

Glancing to Sam and Lucy who climbed into the red beat-up land rover, Nicole bit the inside of her cheek then nodded, a smile flowing onto her soft pink heart-shaped lips. Straddling onto the bike behind Michael, she wrapped her arms around his torso and leaned her head against his back as he revved the bike to life. 

Feeling her hands brush against him under his leather jacket, Michael suppressed the sudden urge to shudder and instead picked up speed, flying down the road towards the boardwalk. The faster he went, the tighter Nicole held onto him, her body molding against him easily as they raced off in harmony. 

“Do you really think they will look for jobs,” Sam asked his mother as they both watched the two older teens take off. 

Lucy sighed, but smiled. “Nope, probably not, but at least they will have some fun. Now let’s get going, you don’t want to miss out right?” 

Grinning, Sam rubbed his palms together. He was really hoping to find a comic book shop as he needed an issue of Batman like there was no tomorrow.


	5. Chapter Four: When you’re Strange

Michael and Nicole didn’t really try to find jobs, however that didn’t mean jobs didn’t find them. Well, a job found Michael anyway. Nicole didn’t have any interest in walking around the beach picking up trash. It wasn’t that she thought herself above such things, it was just that she was uncomfortable being around lots of people she didn’t know on her own. Michael told her not to worry, she would get over that once she settled in. 

Now the two were enjoying the night life on the boardwalk. Sam had even found them, and the trio were headed towards a huge concert performing on a large stage. Nicole twirled a little with Sam while Michael kept a close eye on those around them. Every so often his eyes would trail to Nicole, noting how despite her strange belief that she didn’t fit in, her style seemed to be at one with everyone around them. After all she had black leggings with leather strips, black knee high boots, a long tank that hung loose around her hips and a crop jacket that looked like the night sky with a new moon that covered her shoulders and arms. Hell, her long hair that trailed in soft waves down past her lower back was died in a lovely turquoise blue. Next to him, they made an interesting pair to look at. 

What Michael didn’t know was that others had noticed the Emerson siblings. In fact up off the beach where the concert was stood six people staring out into the crowd of intoxicated people. They had simply been people watching at first, their eyes running over the moving mass of bodies with little real interest. That is until the smallest member of the group, a mere child who appeared to be around seven or eight years old became distracted, his eyes locked on the most unusual colored hair he had seen. Finding it very pretty and feeling the urge to touch it, he began to flex his fingers unconsciously. In fact the urge was so profound that he slipped past the older teenage girl who had been holding his hand and darted into the masses of people, his childish laughter catching the attention of the whole group. 

For a moment the group did nothing, just watched with childish delight as their youngest member showed some real enthusiasm for once. His behavior actually brought real smiles to the faces of the remaining members, however it was short lived when they realized he was getting farther and farther away from them. 

The girl glanced at the four boys standing by her and caught the look one of them was giving her. It screamed for her to chase after the little boy. Giving a slight nod, she moved to give chase, soon catching up with the boy in no time. Laughing at his antics, she gave in to his will and let him pull her further into the crowd rather than take him back to the boardwalk. Moving almost as if she was dancing to the concert saxophone, she let the little boy pull her towards his desired destination. 

Nicole danced with Sam, soft laughter on her lips, her yellowish amber eyes gleaming gold in the firelight. Michael smirked at the two, though suddenly he found himself staggering over as a little boy pushed past him heading straight for Nicole. 

“Hey…” Michael started to shout, but was cut off by another voice.

“Laddie!”

Turning, Michael came face to face with a beautiful girl. As his eyes roamed her pale skin and tight long curly hair, he couldn’t help but stare. She was truly breathtaking. Her skin almost seemed to glow. 

The girl gave him a weary smile before reaching out past him, her hand hooking the back of a small leather jacket. Turning, Michael glanced in the direction of her hand to see Nicole crouched down staring face to face with a little boy. In fact it was the little boy who had pushed past him a moment ago. 

“Nicky…” His brows furrowed as he noticed Nicole was letting the little boy run his dirty fingers through her hair over and over again.

At the sound of her name, Nicole looked up, firelight dancing off her bronze skin highlighting her features such as her button up nose and the brush of freckles the lay across it. Even the young girl was startled for a moment, staring at the other girl with a look of awe before snapping out of it and pulling Laddie away from her. 

Up on the boardwalk, the four remaining boys watched the interaction between their group members and what appeared to be a different group of teens, siblings perhaps as they noticed the girl Laddie had been interested in was dancing with a younger boy before she turned to give Laddie her attention. They watched as Laddie reached out and ran his fingers through her long hair while the older boy she was with stared deeply at the girl who had left them all moments ago. 

One of the members, with short platinum blonde hair spiked up and wearing a black leather trench coat tilted his head, as if he were trying to hear what they were talking about. The three other boys noticed his action and followed suit with curious expressions on their faces.


	6. Chapter Five: Comic Book Bites

Michael gazed at Nicole and lost his train of thought until she looked away, the little boy repeating her name and making her smile at his cute behavior. Sam, seemingly forgotten sine the little interloper popped up, frowned and tapped his adopted sister’s shoulder in order to draw her attention back to him. 

Standing back up out of her crouch, Nicole turned to look at her little brother. Somehow she could tell he was a little green around the eyes about her showing interest in the little boy. 

“Hey Sam, you want to go to the comic book store?” Nicole’s gazed flickered from Sam to the boy to the older girl with her hand on the kid’s jacket. She was asking the girl if they wanted to hangout. 

Hearing comic book store, Sam was more than willing to lead the charge back towards the boardwalk. He had been to the comic book earlier, but the boys around his age that helped out there with their folks were kind of weird and nosy. Having Nicole with him meant he had something to distract those two nerds with. 

Michael, seeing his siblings beginning to leave, noticed the girl had let go of the little boy. The kid seemed determined to hang out with Nicole despite whatever they were willing to do. 

Clearing his throat, Michael held out his hand to the girl. “Hi. Sorry about them, Sam really loves comics and Nicky… I think she just loves to see people happy. My name’s Michael, what’s yours?”

The girl glanced at his hand and didn’t take it right away. Her eyes flickered from Michael to Nicky then back again. The question clear in her eyes. 

He let out a soft laugh and dropped his hand. “Well I guess we better catch up to them, huh? My adopted sister can get crafty if left to her own devises and Sam’s endless encouraging nature.”

Turning to follow after, Michael was stopped for a moment when he felt a hand on his bicep. 

“Star. My name is Star, and that’s Laddie.” 

Michael smiled. “Nice to meet you Star”. 

The group of teenagers merged onto the comic book store like a living mob, Nicole was busy laughing and talking to Laddie and Sam while Star and Michael conversed back and forth about of all things motorbikes. As they entered the comic book store, Laddie hugged a little closer to Nicole, his eyes darting back and forth from the door to the counter where a dazed adult seemed to be sleeping with his eyes open. Sam seemed to know where he was going as he pulled Nicole behind him over to the DC section, his mouth twisting unpleasantly at seeing comic issues out of order. 

From the back of the comic store two male teens around Sam’s age emerged with stern looks on their faces as they eyed the group. Recognizing Sam from earlier, they stalk forward to see if he came back for their survival guide or not. As they move towards Sam who is trying to organize comics, Nicole glances up to look at them, giving the two a gentle smile when she notices they must be coming to talk to Sam. 

The boys freeze for a second, lost staring at what may be the hottest girl they had ever seen come into their comic book store. They glanced back and forth between the obvious comic nerd and the pretty punk Goth confused on how it was even possible. 

“Nicky…” Laddie mumbled by her side, nervous at the attention the two teens were giving them. He wasn’t use to being around people other than the guys. 

The kid’s voice seemed to break whatever spell had been cast one everyone. Michael and Star looked away from one another to see what was actually going on for the first time while Sam turned to see the two weirdos who tried to tell him vampires were real earlier. The two boys just blinked and actually noticed Laddie, Star, and Michael for the first time. 

“Did you come back for the comic,” one of the boys asked, his gaze steady on Sam.

“Look, I told you, I don’t do horror comics. Now you could try to get my sister to buy it, she’s into the creepy and paranormal,” Sam said with an annoyed voice as he tilted his head in Nicole’s direction. 

Upon hearing Sam call the girl his sister, the two boys seemed to nod at one another. Whether they were agreeing to try and give her the comic or saying balance had been restored to nature one would never know. 

“So you like horror comics?” The boy who Nicole saw was sporting a red bandana stepped towards her, his hand suddenly holding a comic she could have sworn wasn’t there before. 

Smiling, Nicole tilted her head up and forward as if to try to get a look at the comic cover while replying with an audible “yes”. 

Grinning now, the boy with the bandana handed her the vampire comic, turning it over to show The Frog Brothers logo and number on the back. “If you ever meet a vampire call that number, we’ll come save you.”

Nicole blinked, wondering how a person could hold such a serious face when telling such an obvious joke. Shrugging, she nodded her head and looked again at the label. “So does that make you two the Frog brothers then?”

The other brother stepped forward this time and nodded, his face still pretty serious. “I’m Alan Frog and this is my brother, Edgar Frog.”

“And I’m the tooth fairy,” Sam grumbled, coming over to pull his sister away from the weirdos. “Look don’t scare the kid with your crazy vampire nonsense.”

“I’ll buy it,” Nicole said, her eyes flickering to her little brother. “What? I like this kind of thing and plus your new friends are just too adorable to refuse their up and coming start in the comic world.” That said, Nicole turned to the brothers. “With all serious though, please remember that there are smaller ears.” She made a point to glance down at Laddie who had gone very pale and started trembling. 

Paying for her comic, Nicole grasped Laddie’s hand and headed for the door, not even bothering to see if the others were following.


	7. Chapter Six: A Helping Hand

The four from the boardwalk had been waiting for the rest of their group to return. They had watched as the new group wondered into the comic book store before deciding to kill time harassing an old friend. After all getting kicked out of Max’s video store was always a pleasure. This time, though, the owner seemed different than his usual self. It may have had something to do with the woman he was chatting with. 

The leader of the four revved his bike after straddling it, his eyes glancing back to the comic book store just in time to see a blue-haired girl walk out hand in hand with Laddie. The dark-haired member of the group came to stand next to the platinum blonde, his eyes also on the girl holding Laddie’s hand. 

Then, behind the two, Sam, Michael, and Star all emerged from the comic book store. Star looked up, feeling someone’s intense stare only to see the four she had left behind. A slight frown rose to her lips before she turned to Michael. 

“I think we have to go now. It was nice meeting you.” Turning she called to Laddie, “Come on Laddie, time to go home.”

Laddie glanced over at Star then looked back at Nicole. “I wanna stay with Nicky,” he mumbled, burying his face suddenly into the girl’s hip, his free hand wrapping around her waist. 

Nicole chuckled, twisting in Laddie’s grip until she was eye level with him, her back suddenly to the boys who were watching from across the walk. 

“Listen buddy, your big sister said it is time to go home. But listen, I promise we can hang out another time as long as it is oksy with big sister….. Star, was it?” At the end, she glanced over at the girl to make sure she had overheard the correct name in the comic book store when the girl and Michael were making goo-goo eyes. 

Nodding quickly, Star smiled at Laddie. “See, she can play with you tomorrow if you want, but we need to head home okay? I don’t think it would be good to keep Dwayne worrying about you all night right?”

Hearing Dwayne’s name, Michael’s previous smile slowly melted away. Who was that? 

Nicole saw her brother’s expression and chuckled inwardly. It was obvious to her that Michael was rather smitten with Star. Chewing the inside of her left cheek, she decided to give Michael a helping hand. 

“You know what, how about I take Sam and Laddie to ride the carousel and get some ice-cream. I know those boys back there gave you a scare, Laddie, and since it was my idea to take you in there, I wouldn’t feel comfortable sending you home without some cheering up.” She turned to look at Star with a soft smile. “Would thirty more minutes really be too much at this point?”

Star’s eyes darted to where her group was, wondering if she was about to make a big mistake. Yet she really wanted to get to know Michael more. 

“Sure, go ahead Laddie. Get some ice cream with Nicky, but then we have to go home, okay?”

The little boy jumped up with a bright smile, his hand clamping back onto Nicole’s again. 

“Alright, well we will just head over to the carousel then get that ice cream. Why don’t you two grab a bite to eat on your own? I can’t afford to pay for everyone after all.” Nicole laughed a little then grabbed Sam and headed for the giant carousel on the boardwalk. 

Star smiled and turned her attention to Michael, who strangely wasn’t looking at her anymore. Instead he was watching his sister slip through the crowd like mist. She watched him grimace and shake his head then turn to her and put a smile on his face. 

“I told you she was crafty.” 

Star laughed, believing Michael felt embarrassed that he was getting help from his sister to spend time with a girl. She would never realize that Michael was really feeling regret. Regret that he wasn’t going with the blue-haired night angel to get that ice cream. 

Turning around, Michael led Star over to a pizza plaza ordering whatever she wanted to share. Neither of them noticed the four guys who had been watching turn and head towards the carousel.


	8. Chapter Seven: Eyes can be True

She was dancing between a brown painted horse with a red and green saddle which Laddie was sitting upon and white horse carriage painted with cold and decorated with what seemed to be an attempt at cupid heads. Sam, of course, was sitting in this, having refused to sit on a horse. He wasn’t a child after all. Sure, the ride operator was supposed to tell her to sit down, but truth be told he was watching her dance and telling her to stop was the furthest thing from his mind. 

His eyes weren’t the only ones trying to scorch the girl’s body though. Several Surf Nazis were hanging around, including their leader whom had a reputation for chasing anything new. 

When the carousel ride came to an end, Laddie pouted. He was having fun, almost as much as when he road on the back of Dwayne’s bike – almost. He didn’t want to have to get off just yet. 

“Come on Laddie, time to get that ice cream so you can get home to…. Your brother? Is that who Dwayne is?” Nicole asked suddenly, her eyebrows furrowing. 

Laddie grinned and nodded. Brother was better than nothing after all. 

Seeing him smile, Nicole sighed. “Okay one more ride around. I suppose I’m doing this just as much for you as I am for Michael.” As the ride attendant moved around to collect payment for those who weren’t getting off, Nicole got her money ready. 

When her shoulder was tapped, she was expecting to find the sweet but goofy attendant. Instead she turned to find a stranger staring down at her, well, rather he was leering down at her. Her eyes flickered behind him where the attendant was. Poor fellow was trying to fight through the group that had him pinned. 

Nicole frowned, her eyes narrowing. She didn’t do well with confrontation of this sort and hoped the man leering at her would get bored quickly.   
“Hey.., I’ve never seen you around before, just visiting Santa Carla?” The man now standing in front of her leaned in, the smell of cheap booze and cigarettes mixed in with something she couldn’t place on his breath. 

Looking up at him, Nicole opened her mouth to say something when Laddie’s squeal drew her attention away from the tall blonde and roguish looking man. Turning her head, she found a man with rather long dark hair patting Laddie on the head. 

Concern flashed in her eyes and she gave a weak apologetic smile to the man in front of her before she raced to Laddie’s side, reaching out for him protectively. 

At the same time, Sam watched as three others who were dressed somewhat the same as the man who had gone over to Laddie hop onto the carousel. Being a lifelong geek with an older brother who could have fit in well with either group of guys around him, Sam could sense trouble a mile away. 

As Nicole reached for Laddie, the dark haired man turned to look her in the eyes. As almost-black brown eyes meant vibrant yellow-amber ones, the man took a look of surprise. In the same moment, Laddie giggled loudly, shocking all four of the guys who had never before heard such a sound. 

“Nicky this is Dwayne, my older brother,” the boy spoke softly, causing his family to look at him again as he usually just nodded or gave one word answers - even to Star. 

In turn Nicole gave a bright smile to Dwayne, her body relaxing as the fear someone was trying to abduct Laddie washed away. 

“Hi Dwayne, nice to meet you, I’m Nicole. I’m sorry if I worried you with Laddie, he just didn’t want to part from me so I suggested riding the carousel and getting ice cream before he went home. Your sister, Star, said it would be okay.” 

Dwayne stared at the girl in front of him, unable to fully grasp the situation as Laddie had surprised him with his out of character behavior. Then when he heard the girl mention Star he grimaced. That she-devil had nothing to do with him in any capacity other than watching Laddie.

One of the boys, the one with curly blonde hair who stood behind Dwayne snickered at the mention of Star being Dwayne’s sister. They all know how Dwayne felt about that girl, even to this point he still questioned why the girl lived with them. 

Hearing the snicker, Nicole turned her yellow-amber eyes on the rest of the group causing them all to take a step back in surprise. They had all seen her from afar, but they had never been able to get a good look at her facial features. Now that they could see how she looked, her eyes in particular, they had a strange sense of kindred to the girl, it felt almost like belonging. As though this girl was like them. The one with platinum blonde hair spiked up and wearing a leather trench coat glanced to Laddie again. He wondered if perhaps she gave the same peaceful feeling to the boy, letting him open up more and be the way he could have been at one point before all that had happened. 

Meanwhile all this was happening, the blonde suffer had been standing right behind the girl glaring hatred at the four she was talking to. He just couldn’t stand the motorbike rejects that prowled the boardwalk. Nodding his head forward a moment, his group surged forward, making their presence known to the motorbike heads. 

Reaching forward, the leader of the Surf Nazis placed his hand on the girl’s shoulder, determined to drawl her attention to himself.


	9. Chapter Seven: Surf Nazi Nose Bleed

Michael and Star couldn’t stop laughing at one another. They were having such a great time together eating pizza then riding roller-coasters. In fact they were having so much fun that Star had forgotten all about Laddie being out with Nicole. She was enjoying Michael too much, her attention was fully focused on him to the point she could pick him out in any crowd. 

Just as Star was going to suggest they ride the Ferris wheel together, they walked by the carousel. From the corner of his eye, Michael could suddenly make out an amazing shade of vibrant turquoise blue. 

“Damn,” he swore, Star turning to stare at the ride he was looking at. 

“I forgot all about her taking Laddie and Sam over here. I should probably check on her and get Sam home for the night.” Turning to Star, Michael gave her a soft smile. “Maybe tomorrow night you can go for a ride with me on my bike?”

Pleased that his attention was still on her, Star smiled brightly and nodded in agreement. She couldn’t wait for it! 

With that decided they both headed over to the Carousel, hoping on just in time for another attendant aid to start the ride, complaining under her breath about the lazy sack of shit that should have been monitoring the ride. Little did she know the poor soul was being held captive on the ride? 

Nicole turned around at the feeling of a hand on her shoulder, her eyes peering up into blue ones. 

“I don’t mean to be rude… I know you had started talking to me, but I was placed with the care of this man’s little brother so it is only right I make sure the boy is secure before I attempt to socialize.”

The leader of the Surf Nazis glanced at the glaring group behind her before snorting. 

“I get it, don’t worry babe. Now that your baby sitting job is over though, how about we get to know each other?”

Sam stood up and glared at the Surf Nazi. In all honesty he didn’t want his sister near any of these guys. They were way too shady. 

“Nicky I think we should head home,” Sam managed to say, his voice trembling a bit.

The Surf Nazi leader turned to look at the young kid who spoke up, giving him a nasty smile. 

“Does the little baby have a bedtime,” he taunted, making a baby face at the same time.

Hearing this man talk to her brother that way didn’t sit well. Frowning, Nicole reached up and attempted to remove the man’s hand from her shoulder. However he just pressed his fingers in deeper, his nails cutting into skin.  
Wincing, Nicole was about to ask for help when a fist collided with the guy’s face, blood spurting everywhere after a resounding crunch could be heard. 

“What’s your damage dude? You better keep your fucking hands off my little sister.”

Nicole turned to find Michael standing right behind her, his face full of rage as his eyes took in her shoulder, though covered in sequence jacket he could tell she would have bruising solely based on the guy’s hand position.  
Holding his nose, the leader of the Surf Nazis glared at the boy to the left of what he was interested in. The bastard had come out of nowhere and had been swift to pull off a punch. Angry, the leader spit blood out at the man before turning his back on the guy and jumping off the carousel, his group following after.

“Good grief Sam, jump in any time for your sister won’t you?” Michael roared, turning his angry gaze on Sam. 

Sighing, Nicole rubbed her shoulder and glanced around at all the staring eyes. Her face began to lose color as embarrassment ate away at her. In truth she may have tried to flee the scene but just as she thought to, two small arms wrapped around her waist and she felt Laddie bury his face into her hip. Looking down at him, she smiled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

“I’m alright, Laddie. No worries okay?”

Laddie nuzzled Nicole’s hip again then pulled away to look up at her. “Do you want to come home?”

Nicole blinked down at the little boy, trying to understand his question. Was he asking her if she wanted to go home because of what happened? 

“Sadly I do think it is time we got going home. But I promise to come to the boardwalk tomorrow and see you. We can go on rides or play at the beach,” she replied, stroking Laddie’s hair.

Laddie frowned. That had not been what he was asking her. He wanted her to go back to the cave with him. 

Michael watched Nicole and Laddie interact with one another as Star came to place her hand on his bicep again. 

“Laddie,” Star called, her eyes flickering to Dwayne and the others whom she just noticed were also on the carousel. 

Laddie turned and pouted at Star, his eyes flickering to Michael. 

“Do you want to come see where we live,” he asked Michael, his hands tightening on Nicole. 

Michael let out a small chuckle. His eyes flickered to the crowds on the boardwalk, noting that despite the time they were still going strong. He then turned to look at Sam who was glaring a hole into the floor of the carousel.  
“I’d like that bud, but we have to get Sam home-“

“I can take myself home!” Sam growled out, storming off in the direction he had last seen their mother’s station wagon.

“Sammy,” Nicole called out, worry etched all over her face. 

Glancing back at his sister, Sam tried to give a convincing smile. “I’ll be alright Nicky, go have some fun for once. Besides, I saw Mom just before we came over here in the video shop, she seemed really entertained so I’m sure she is still there.”

Nicole bit the inside of her cheek, her eyes flickering to Michael to Laddie then finally to Dwayne. Kneeling down, she looked at Laddie and patted his head. “Alright little man, I’m going to make sure Sammy gets to mom then I will be back alright?”

Laddie turned to give Sam a glare, but grunted in acceptance. Just as Nicole was going to follow after Sam though he snagged her hand. “Me too,” he stated, his little face full of determination. 

Nicole looked to Dwayne to make sure that was fine. The dark-haired boy then glanced over to another boy, drawing Nicole’s eyes to the platinum blonde. Seeing her look at him, the boy smirked but gave her a nod of okay. 

“We will be back by your bike, Mikey,” Nicole said, ushering the younger boys away to the video shop.


	10. Chapter Eight: Just Have to Keep Up

Nicole, Sam, and Laddie entered the video store to see Lucy in deep conversation with an average looking older gentleman wearing glasses. As they neared the couple, a white dog suddenly lurched towards Nicole, a sharp whining noise attracting the man’s attention immediately. 

Unable to resist, Nicole bent down and began petting the dog while Laddie tried to hide behind her from it. Even Sam went to pet the canine, however the dog suddenly snapped at his outstretched hand. 

“Thorn, no!” The man yelled at the dog, causing it to slink off towards its master. 

At the same time Lucy turned to see her children and a delighted smile filled her face.

“Sam, Nicole come here a minute,” she called, waving them over. Turning back to Max, whom she noticed was looking at her children, Lucy blushed and pulled Sam in front of her.

“Sam, this is Max, he owns the video shop.” Lucy’s eyes flickered up to Max who had returned his gaze to her. “Max, this is my youngest son, Sam and Nicole over there is my daughter.” Lucy then gestured towards Nicole, who was patting Laddie on the head affectionately. 

Sam snorted. “She’s adopted.”

Max smiled, holding his hand out to Sam, “Nice to meet you, Sam. Your mother was just telling me how terrific you are.” 

Sam glanced at the outreached hand but rolled his eyes, shaking his mother’s hands off him, his cheeks flushed bright red with embarrassment. “Nice to meet you too,” he grumbled when Lucy gave him a disappointed look. 

“Nicole come here,” Lucy called again to her daughter, causing Nicole to look up and meet Max’s smiling face. 

Moving to stand by her mom, Nicole took Max’s outstretched hand her brother had so bluntly ignored. As she felt his hand wrap around hers though, a flash of a terrifying face appeared in her mind out of nowhere causing her to jump a bit. Noticing her jump, Max let out a chuckle. 

“Sorry, my hands can be pretty cold at times.” 

Nicole let out a breath and nodded, seeing no reason to let him think any differently. Pulling her hand away from his, she felt a smaller one slip into it, reminding her that she needed to let Lucy know she and Michael had made some new friends. 

“Lucy… I mean mom,” Nicole mumbled out, her eyes flashing a moment, “This is Laddie,” she gestured to the little boy holding her hand.

Lucy, hearing her name fall from her daughter’s lips, sighed inwardly. Ever since six months ago it was very hard for Nicole to remember to call her mom. Guess it can’t be helped though, after all despite the signs Lucy hadn’t seemed to notice her adopted daughter’s turmoil. 

Bending over, Lucy looked at Laddie, giving the little boy a smile. “Well hello Laddie, I see you’ve made a friend out of my shy daughter haven’t you?”

Laddie gazed at the older woman in front of him, his eyes moving to look at the older man behind her the back to her smiling face before he gave a short nod and buried his face into Nicole’s hip shyly.

Standing up, Lucy frowned a bit and looked at her daughter. “It’s getting pretty late though, shouldn’t he be getting home?”

Laughing, Nicole patted Laddie’s head comfortingly, her fingers moving through his mousy brown hair. “Actually that reminds me. Laddie invited me to come see his house for a little bit and I was wondering if that would be alright. I won’t be alone, after all I’ve meant Laddie’s older sister and brother, and not to mention so has Michael.” Still seeing Lucy’s worried expression, Nicole leaned in to whisper in her mother’s ear, “Also he seems really attached to me. I’m afraid if I just send him on his way he might look for me all night.”

Seeing her daughter’s kind face, Lucy pouted in that motherly way before nodding, giving her consent. After all, Nicole and Michael would be adults in a couple years, she trusted them to watch out for each other. 

Grinning now, Nicole looked down at Laddie and gave him a thumbs up, turning to leave the store. At that moment Sam grumbled under his breath about how unfair the world was and that he just wanted to get home and read comics.

Meanwhile Michael, Star, and the four guys from the carousel had gathered on the boardwalk with their motorbikes waiting for Nicole and Laddie to reappear. Star had been attempting to get Michael to give her a ride on his bike, and he really was tempted. Yet just as he called her name, giving in, the platinum blonde on another motorbike called to her first. 

“Where you going Star?”

Star turned and looked at the boy who gave off a pack-leader vibe, her smile dropping from her face. “For a ride, this is Michael.” Turning she went to climb on the back of Michael’s bike, but before she could even lift her leg over, her name was called again in a demanding tone. 

Displeased, Star looked back at Michael, but instead of meeting an unhappy expression, Michael wasn’t even looking her way. His eyes were on the girl rapidly approaching the group and laughing with a little boy hoisted on her back. 

As Nicole came to a stop by Michael’s bike, Laddie climbed down and ran over to Dwayne, who lifted him onto the back of his own motorbike. Nicole glanced at Michael and gave him a nod, letting him know it was all cool for them to go hang out before her eyes fell onto Star standing between Michael’s bike and Dwayne’s. 

“Hey Star, were you wanting to ride with Michael?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Star looked surprised for a moment then nodded. 

Laddie, from behind Dwayne laughed out and shouted towards Nicole, “Come on Nicky let’s go!” 

Nicole’s eyes turned to scan over the other three on motorbikes before turning to look at Michael. 

“Sorry Star, I should probably have Nicky ride with me since she doesn’t know your friends,” Michael stated, moving to give room for Nicole to climb on behind him. 

Seeing the blue-haired girl move to slide in behind Michael, Star moved to intercept her, placing a hand on Michael’s shoulder and turned to glare at the platinum blonde. 

“Star,” came his deep voice, his eyes narrowing on her expression. 

Not understanding what was going on, Laddie was becoming impatient. He wanted to show Nicky his collection of various shark teeth. 

“Paul, will you let Nicky ride with you?” 

Everyone turned to see the two other blondes who had been picking on one another and laughing the whole time as though nothing was going on in front of them. 

Hearing his name, Paul turned to stare at Laddie before grinning. “Sure,” his blue eyes landing on yellow-amber ones, causing him to freeze a second before he held his hand out to the blue-haired girl. “Want a ride, babe?”

Michael tensed under Star’s touch, his eyes narrowing on the flashy long-haired blonde who was wearing a fishnet shirt. 

“Nicky...” he called out to her only to have her turn and shrug, moving over to Paul’s outstretched hand. 

“It will be alright Mikey, you go ahead and take Star.” Placing her hand in Paul’s, however, Nicole suddenly saw a flash before her eyes, a terrifying face, this one different from before flaring to life in her mind. Feeling her hesitation suddenly, Paul tightened his grip and pulled her to him, swinging her leg over his bike in no time before he revved it to life and sped off with her clutching tightly onto his back, a gasp falling from her lips. 

Terrified that Nicole was suddenly taken, Michael sent a glare to the other boys before glaring down at his own bike, muttering “Damn it, I can’t beat his bike.”

Hearing this, the platinum blonde smirked. “Mikey, was it? Do you know where Hudson’s Bluff is overlooking the point? You don’t have to beat his bike. You just have to keep up.” With that he revved his own motorbike to life along with the two remaining boys and they sped off after Paul, leaving Star to climb on behind Michael as he prepared to chase after them.


	11. Chapter Nine: How Far…

The group on motorbikes howled and laughed into the night as they sped across the beach, sand flying through the air in their wake. Paul howled loudly as Nicole snaked her arms under his jacket, her fingers brushing against his skin through the fishnet before they locked together against his abdominal muscles. The feel of her warm skin against his brought a smile to his lips, a sort of shock to his system. It had been a long time since he had ever gotten to feel comfortable in a girl’s presence other than Star’s. 

Nicole, on the other hand, threw her head back, her hair flying behind her as her own joyful howl rose into the air, the look on her face one of pure ecstasy. As the others behind them sped up, Paul undoubtedly having slowed down enough for them to catch up, they could all see the blue-haired girl’s expression, her golden eyes glinting whenever they raced across someone’s beach campfire. Again, a strange sense passed between all the boys as they raced after Paul, something they couldn’t place was screaming in the back of their minds or… maybe it was that something wasn’t screaming when they looked at her. 

Catching up best he could to the rest, Michael pushed his motorbike to at least the platinum blonde who had spoken to him back at the boardwalk. Star, tightening her grip on Michael, laughed at the wind in her face and leaned forward to whisper the names of the boys to Michael. Smirking, Michael glanced to the side. 

“Hey Davey, it is Davey right?”

The platinum blonde, glanced behind Michael and raised an eyebrow at Star. “It’s David.”

“Michael.”

David smirked. “Thought the girl called you Mikey.”

“She did, but that doesn’t mean you can.” With that, Michael revved his motorbike and sped off towards Paul, his eyes trained on the laughing blue-haired girl behind him. 

“Hey Nicky,” Michael shouted, catching the girl’s attention as she turned her head back, bringing her body forward to press against Paul’s back to keep balance. 

“Hey Mikey,” she returned in response, sticking her tongue out at her brother. 

Turning back, she giggled and pressed her face up against Paul’s back with the rest of her, closing her eyes and pretending she was flying. Feeling her body pressed completely against him, Paul felt a growl roll out up his chest in appreciation. David and the other boys titled their head as if they heard something, their eyes trained on the back of their brother’s bike. 

A thick fog had rolled in from the ocean, the sound of waves crashing against the surf could be heard up ahead. The group of motorbikes had long passed the beach scene, but still they sped forward quickly none the less. Michael was beginning to worry as it was getting harder and harder to see the space in front of him. David slid next to him suddenly, reaching behind him and pulling Star onto his own bike as if he had done it a hundred times before smirking at him. 

“Come one Michael,” David egged him on, picking up speed just as Paul seemed to slow down, the two boys motorbikes passing him and Nicole until he was perfectly placed between Dwayne and the curly haired boy Michael now knew was named Marko. 

Seeing Paul pull back, Michael knew this had to be some kind of test. His eyes flickered to Star and he could see she was smiling encouragingly at him. This spurred Michael on despite the uneasy feeling in his stomach, his bike fighting to go faster until suddenly the fog seemed to clear. Seeing the lighthouse so close and what looked to be the edge of a cliff, Michael twisted his bike, causing it to turn too hard and skirting on its side. Hitting the ground, Michael quickly got up and rushed David, who had stopped perfectly at the edge. Seeing this, the rest of the guys quickly parked and rushed at Michael, pulling him back.

Seeing the boys pull on her brother and honestly confused as to what just happened, Nicole moved to defend Michael. Slipping in between the boys until she was pressed against Michael’s back, she stared the other boys down with her yellow-amber eyes narrowed. 

“Just you,” Michael growled out, pointing a finger at David as he felt his sister press up against his back. “I just want you.”

The boys behind Michael glanced from David to Nicole, their bodies taking a lax stance, having no urge to be violent towards the girl. David seeing their odd behavior chuckled and looked at Michael. 

“How far are you willing to go?”

Michael scrunched up his eyebrows wondering what the hell that was supposed to mean. How far was he willing to go? Hadn’t he made it clear he was ready to risk a beat down at this point?


	12. Chapter Ten: Of Rice and Maggots

Soon the Emerson siblings found themselves in an abandoned old hotel that had sunk clean into the earth. As they entered the lair, Laddie grabbed Nicole and ushered her over to where he slept and kept his stuff. Frowning, Nicole looked around the place before looking down at Laddie.

“This is where you live?” She may have been looking at Laddie, but she had purposefully spoken loud enough for everyone to hear, wondering what their story was on this place. 

Glancing Nicole’s way, David spoke to her for the first time in reply to her question. 

“This was the hottest resort in Santa Carla back about eighty years ago. Too bad they built it right on top of the San Adreas fault. In 1906, when the big one hit San Francisco, the ground opened up and this place took a header into the crack. Now it’s ours.” 

Laddie grinned, proud of being able to claim a piece of the cave as his too just Paul came by and ruffled his hair, laughing.

“Man, you wouldn’t believe all the cool stuff we have found down here,” He said, looking directly into Nicole’s face before tilting his head towards the make-shift shelves lining the place. 

Turning, her eyes scanned along the boy’s hidden treasures, a look of awe touching her features as well as appreciation before Laddie pulled on the sleeve of her sequence crop-top black jacket. 

“I collect shark teeth I find on the beach, wanna see?”

Unable to deny the little lamb, Nicole hunkered down by what she assumed is Laddie’s bed as he begins to pull out all kinds of things. Seeing her attention diverted back to the pipsqueak, Paul just smiles before moving off to roll a joint, his eyes flickering to the ever observant David. 

“Come on Michael, let’s go,” Star came to stand by Michael, noticing him watch the other girl with a protective stare. His attention to his sister made Star feel uneasy and unhappy. 

Moving to look at Star, Michael got lost in her eyes for a moment. “Yeah, sure,” he mumbled. 

“No, stick around,” David said, coming to put his hand on Michael’s shoulder as he glared at Star. 

Michael gave him a weak smile, his eyes flickering over to Nicole.

“Look I should really get Nicky something to eat… I think the only thing she’s had tonight is ice cream with Laddie.”

Hearing her name, Nicole looked over at her brother and grinned. Her newest facial expression blew away the boys in the room, including Michael. “You payin’ then right?” 

David looked between the two and let out a deep chuckle, his eyes moving to look at Marko. “Good idea. Marco, food.”

Smiling, Marco nodded before disappearing back up the stairs that lead into the Cave. 

Paul rolled by David then on a skateboard, in his fingers one of several joints he had just rolled. Plucking it, David stuck it between his lips and lit up, inhaling before blowing smoke to the left of Michael’s shoulder. “See? That’s what I love about this place, all you gotta do is ask.” Holding the joint out to Michael, David smirked. “How about an appetizer?”

Feeling more comfortable, Michael took the joint between his fingers, pulling it to his own thin lips. Taking large drag, he tried not to cough like a noob as he felt himself choke up. Star formed a pout on her lips, watching from the side with a troubled expression as David made himself comfortable in an old looking wheelchair. 

Paul moved to the music section of the Cave and proceeded to pull a Metallic vinyl out and put it on the stereo. As the music began to fill the air, Nicole grins at Laddie, taking his hand and pulling him over to the long since dried out fountain in the room. As the intro comes to an end and the lyrics begin to filter out, Nicole’s voice flows out in soft harmony with the singer. Taking Laddie’s hands while still singing along, her head bobbing back and forth in a gentle version of head banging to the beat, she rolls hers hips out, her chest pushing up as her shoulders go back in a continuous swaying motion. While her body moves, her arms move back and forth, pulling Laddie into the dance with her. 

The little boy is pulled into the dance, attempting to sing along with the lyrics too and mimicking the more violent head banging he has seen Paul and Dwayne perform. As the two move, everyone else seems to find their own physical connection to the rhythm, though their eyes are drawn to the pair uncontrollably. Even Michael begins to bounce his head to the beat, loosening up while passing the lit joint around with the remaining boys. 

Pouting, Star moves forward to get in the fountain as well just as a new song beings to belch out of the speakers. Surprisingly though this time it isn’t Metallica but Black Sabbath, Dwayne having changed vinyl out of curiosity to see what the Emerson siblings all listened to. 

As the first whine of the guitar peeled out of the speakers, Michael groaned and sent a playful annoyed look to his sister, her face lightening up as she let go of Laddie’s hands to play air guitar along with the song, her voice strongly falling in tune with Ozzy. As she began to rock out to the beat, even Star found herself pulled into the blue-haired girl’s spell, swaying her body in rhythm with Nicole’s air guitar and body jerks. 

Just as Marco appeared with food, Star skipped over to the stereo this time, her fingers moving through the music causing Paul to cover his ears and give a painful look. Seeing what Star was doing, Dwayne sat down on the ragged brown couch and took a large hit from a joint, his eyes already closed with a grimace on his face. 

“Chow time- Oh no, Star, not your music,” Marco cried out as he passed out the white boxes of Chinese food. 

Star turned and stuck her tongue out at the grunge head bangers. Her fingers sliding onto a Michael Jackson vinyl just as David rolled his eyes, grabbing a box of Chinese and handing it to Michael.

“Chinese, good choice.” Leaning forward, he shook it at Michael, raising an eyebrow. “Guests first.”

Michael frowns, shaking his head at first. After all he had had pizza on the boardwalk with Star. 

“It’s only rice, Michael. Come on, how can a billion Chinese people be wrong?” There was a mischievous twinkle in David’s eye as Michael caved and took the box. 

Just then Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” roared to life. Laughing, Star turned to see if what Nicole thought about the dramatic change of music only to find the girl moon-walking and twisting around dramatically while singing “Not my lover” as she bent over Michael’s shoulder, stealing his second forkful of rice just as he was going to place it in his own mouth. 

Michael slightly turned to his head, a small smile on his lips as he felt some of Nicole’s hair slid past his own shoulder. The slight movement caused his cheek to rub against hers as her lips wrapped around the fork before she pulled back, breaking once again into dance. 

The lost boys stared with various facial reactions. The white boxes of food in their grasps were momentarily forgotten as they all replayed what they had just seen. 

Dwayne’s eyes were their usual calm, however the stoic look was completely ruined due to his gaping open mouth and frozen chopsticks, a piece of chicken falling down onto the cave floor. Marco, on the other hand, had completely dropped his own box, his mouth opening and closing as he pointed in silent surprise at the girl. Paul had begun to choke on a bite of sweet and sour pork, his fist beating at his chest.

All the while David seemed to glare at Michael with irritation, something clawing at him on the inside that he didn’t understand. The urge to get even with Michael, to be cruel nipped at the back of his mind, making him lean forward to draw Michael’s attention just as he was going to take another bite of rice. 

“So how do you like those maggots, Michael?”

Confused, Michael looked up right after taking another bite, “What?”

Smirking, David leaned closer. “You’re eating maggots. How do they taste?”

Michael looks down into the white carton of what he could have sworn had been rice only to see a thousand wiggling maggots squirming against each other. Just as he was about to drop the container, already in the process of spitting out the mouthful of rice he had, Nicole scooped the carton into her hands and shoved a bite of rice into her mouth.

Shrugging, she grinned and replied to David with one word; “Delicious!”


	13. Chapter Eleven: Worms, Wine, and Women

David’s smirking face faltered just as Michael pulled his sister into his lap, trying to jerk the container from her hands. He didn’t know how she could just chew a mouthful of maggots like it was nothing, but he wasn’t going to let her pretend everything was okay just to save face for him. 

Laughter tumbled forth from Nicole’s mouth as she jerked out of Michael’s grip, however losing the carton of rice in the tussle as it fell all over the ground. Michael stared at the little grains of white in confused shock just as Nicole signed. 

“Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to waste food Michael,” she grumbled, looking longingly at the rice. 

Still confused, Michael looked up at Nicole then back to the rice. “I swear, Nicky, it had been actual maggots a moment ago.”

The Lost boys roared with laughter at that, all but David who was staring at Nicole in curiosity. Wondering about something, he leaned forward suddenly and offered Nicole his container, staring right into her eyes. 

“Here, have some of mine. No hard feelings.” 

Nicole grinned, taking the carton, opening it up and without looking inside scooped up what looked like squirming worms to Michael. Just as he lurched to stop her, he watched as Nicole sucked a rather long wiggling worm up between her heart shaped lips without even thinking twice. 

“Nicky, no, their worms!” Michael shouted as she went to get more, her hand pausing as she giggled. 

“Oh come on Mikey, are you in on their joke then?” Folding back the carton lids, she looked in and shook her head laughing before showing the contents to Michael. “They’re only noodles, Mikey, come on.”

The boys had stopped laughing by then, their eyes glancing at one another as David tilted his head to stare at Nicole as if he were looking at something he had never seen. 

Star rushed forward to Michael’s side and put a comforting hand on his shoulder before glaring at David. “Leave him alone, David.”

David raised an eyebrow at Star then motioned Marco to come closer, whispering in his ear. 

Grinning, Marco turned away and went over by the stereo, changing the Michael Jackson vinyl out for something else before going and picking something up off a high shelf. 

The beginning to a rather new goth rock song filled the room as David took a decorated wine bottle from Marco, his face turning serious a moment as he looked at Michael and Nicole, the later having sat down by Michael still slurping noodles between her lips. Uncorking the bottle dramatically, David put it to his lips and took a swig, his shoulders trembling a moment before he opened his eyes to stare at Michael.

“Join us, Michael,” David said in a serious tone, his hand outstretched to hand to bottle to the curly-haired brunette who stood up with an unsure look. 

Reaching out to take the bottle, Star placed her hand on his bicep, drawing his attention to her just as his fingers wrapped around the neck of the bottle. 

“You don’t have to do this,” she whispered, leaning in to Michael’s side, her body molding against him. “Don’t do this.”

Michael stared into Star’s face, his fingers tightening on the bottle. “Why not?”

“It’s blood.”  
Hearing her reply, Michael shook his head, snorting. “Yeah, blood, sure.” Determined not to look like a fool a third time around, Michael brought the bottle to his lips as the rest of the group chanted his name. Tipping the liquid into his mouth, Michael took several large gulps at once before slowly lowering his arm, the feel of something strong flooding his senses.

The lost boys broke into joyful laughter and clapping. Paul came and patted Michael on the back with an encouraging smile as Dwayne turned the music up loud and Laddie ran to Nicole, climbing into her lap. 

“You’re one of us now, Bud,” Paul cheekily said to Michael before turning to look at Nicole. 

Feeling really good and giddy, Michael followed Paul’s line of sight to Nicole and sauntered over to her, throwing Paul off a moment as it was a kind of walk he would normally do to impress chicks not walk over to a family member. 

Star backed away as Michael dropped down next to Nicole, leaning in close to where his hair curtained her face away from the others so he can give her a wicked smile. As Michael did this, Laddie jumped away from Nicole and raced to Star, his expression confused from what he had seen in Michael’s face, his child mind unable to comprehend it. 

Suddenly the tension in the room jumped as David moved towards the two just as the chorus of the song playing on the stereo poured into the room. 

“Cry little sister, (thou shall not fall)   
Come, come to your bother, (thou shall not die)  
Unchain me, sister, (thou shall not fear)  
Love is with your brother (thou shall not kill)” 

Turning to look at the others, Michael gave them a smirk, his mind clouded with a confidence he never had before. Taking a large swig from the bottle he still had, Michael turned and grasped Nicole’s face, jerking her chin up and pressing his lips hard against hers making her gasp. As her mouth opened, he thrust the mouthful of wine along with his tongue into hers, a trail of ruby red liquid rolling down the corner of her mouth as she tried to swallow the sudden rush of intoxication-filled sweet fluid. 

For the first time in his life, David stumbled over his own feet, his eyes wide at the scene before him. The other boys stood with twisted expressions on their faces and Star suddenly turned, making retching noises before spinning back around.

“How could you do that to your own damn sister,” she raged as Michael turned to blink at her. 

The only one who seemed to not be weirded out at the moment was oddly Laddie. Instead the little devil was giggling up a storm causing everyone to stare at him.

Wiping her face, Nicole frowned and punched Michael in the arm. 

“That was my first kiss you dweeb,” she grumbled before jerking the bottle from Michael’s hand and taking a big swig of it herself.


	14. Chapter Twelve: Sleeping Babes

David blinked. What the hell was going on here? How was that her reaction to what her brother just did?

Snorting, Michael playfully shoved Nicole before looking back to Star, opening his mouth to say something in response when Laddie came up to sit between him and Nicole.

Having moved back to Nicole’s side, he was watching her take a drink, his mouth set in a serious line. “That’s not fair, Nicky! You said Michael was way into Star. Now Star will be lonely.”

Star snorted. “Laddie get away from them, they’re sick.”

Concerned, Laddie put his hand against Nicole’s forehead. She didn’t feel sick. Had Michael given her some kind of cold?

“She doesn’t feel sick,” Laddie mumbled, though everyone heard him. 

Dwayne suddenly picked up Laddie and gave David a weird look. The look said ‘what the hell do we do with that?’

As Nicky watched everything around her, she suddenly burst into laughter, realization of the situation just now hitting her clouded mind. She had been too dazed by what Michael had done and the wine that she didn’t realize everyone was a bit freaked out. 

“Laddie,” Nicole said suddenly, her eyes filled with mirth. “What did Sam tell you on the boardwalk?”

Squinting, Laddie tried to recall what Sam had said to him when he slammed his little fist into the palm of his hand making an ‘oh yeah’ face. 

“Sam said you weren’t allowed to date when the ice cream guy asked for your number.”

Nicole giggled and took another drink. “No, the other thing, when we saw Lucy.”

“He told Mr. Max you were adopted. That’s right,” Laddie suddenly yelled. “Nicky isn’t Michael or Sammy’s sister. She said she was a lost girl they happened to find.”

Everyone paled upon hearing what Laddie said. Then the tension broke when it dawned on them what Laddie had said. Nicky wasn’t Michael’s actual sister. She was a self-declared lost girl. 

Star dry-heaved a moment before actually shocking everyone even more by taking the wine bottle from Nicky and gulping some down herself. After she swallowed, she regretted the action immediately, however the liquid rushed to her mind and she slumped into Michael’s lap moaning. 

Michael wrapped his arms around Star and stroked her hair as he put the bottle back to his own lips. Nicky moved over to the vinyl section to look through the collection with Laddie sliding down Dwayne’s chest to go help her.   
David sat down in the wheelchair, running a hand on his face before shrugging, taking out a joint and lighting it up. 

Laddie screamed yes just as David let out a stream of smoke and passed the joint to Dwayne. Soon the loud thumping of music bounced off the dirty walls as Soft Cell’s Tainted Love filtered through the air. Nicole began to rock out with the lyrics as she twisted her hips and shoulders in opposite directions. 

Smirking, David gave in to the now reborn joyous intoxication of Nicole’s playful nature that saturated the cave like an inviting blanket. Nodding his head in Marco’s direction, he motioned him to come over and push him around in the wheelchair. 

Dwayne let himself go to the music, jumping on his skateboard and rolling around the room with a strange grace. Despite the mess and flickering candles everywhere, he seemed to pick up speed and maneuver as if nothing were there, a joint burning between his own lips. 

Paul fell a slave to the beat as the songs switched once again, Nicole having slid a different vinyl yet again onto the stereo. This time all the head bangers rejoiced as “Shout at the Devil” by Motley Crue sprang to life. 

As the song thrummed through their ears, Nicole and Paul found themselves dancing together in typical head banger fashion. Flashes of turquoise blue merged with dirty blonde as the two jumped and collided with one another. They carried on like this through several more songs before Nicole began to sway on her feet, thoroughly exhausted, her body colliding up against Paul’s. 

Blue eyes crinkled around the corners as Paul wrapped his arms around the unconscious girl, devilish smile wasted on his face since she couldn’t see it. Marco came to a stop where Paul was with David still sitting in his wheelchair previously head banging like a fool. David motioned for Paul to give Nicole to him, in which he reluctantly complied. 

Taking Nicole in his own arms, David stood up and moved over to one of the nicer beds in the corner of the room. It was close to Laddie’s bed, but it didn’t belong to Star. As David lay Nicole down on the bed, his hands seemed to move on their own and smooth out the girls now wild hair. Smiling for just a moment at the sleeping figure, David turned to find his brothers had rallied behind him to stare at the anomaly that slumbered without fear in their midst. 

Marco glanced at his other brothers then to David, his voice low to keep from disturbing Michael and Star’s make-out session. “She really is a lost girl, huh David?”

David nodded. “Should have known from the moment I looked into her eyes. She’s defiantly one of us.” 

Paul fidgeted. There had been something he wanted to say for a while with the guys, but there was never a moment without listeners. “Have you noticed it though?”

David turned to stare at Paul along with Marco and Dwayne. 

“The calm.” Paul turned to look at the sleeping babe, dead to the world. “I feel… calm. Even before, back when she was on my bike.”

The boys all blinked at one another for a moment, letting that sink in. They had all been concentrated on the plan for the night, they hadn’t been paying attention. Now that they thought back they all realized that with her, none of them had felt that familiar itch… that craving… the thirst…


	15. Chapter Thirteen: Railroad Tracks

Leaving the girl to sleep, the boys turned to find Michael stroking a sleeping Star’s hair. Grinning, the boys looked at one another. They had originally planned something else for Michael and Star, but Nicole changed those plans. Now they would initiate the Emerson children into their group. After all, they respected family. Adults notwithstanding, of course. 

Dwayne moved to pick up Laddie, who had fallen asleep in the fountain. He went to put the kid in his own bed, but changed his mind. Moving to where David had placed Nicole, Dwayne tucked Laddie up next to her, letting the kid snuggle into her side. They had a close bond already, everyone could see it. Dwayne smiled then, just a small smile, as he stared at the sleeping pair. 

“Michael, go ahead and put Star in her bed over there,” David said, pointed to the canopy bed to the left. 

Nodding Michael picked Star up and tucked her in, moving to go where he had glimpsed Nicole, and seeing Dwayne standing over her. 

As he got close, David reached out and pulled him towards the cave stairs. “Let her rest. Come on, let’s go for a ride.” 

The sound of motorbikes filled the night as the five lost souls raced on another across sandy grass, their shrieks and laughter strangely forming a perfect harmony with the roaring machines. Michael was a laughing mess, his heart beating like crazy in his chest from the adrenaline rush and whatever had been in that bottle of wine David had given him. It was a powerful feeling, as though he could do anything. In fact he had done something, something he had been wanting to do since the first time Nicole had wandered into his family’s front door, a trash bag hanging from her hands. 

Hooting loudly at the memory of his lips pressed against those pink heart-shaped ones, Michael gunned forward after David, this time not even caring if the bastard led him off a cliff. 

The Lost Boys laughed and shrieked with joy right along with Michael. For the first time, they were thrilled to be of service to their adopted father. He had wanted them to make friends with the Emerson’s the moment the family had arrived to the boardwalk, his eyes long since trailed like a lost puppy over the bunch’s mother. They all laughed and questioned his choice in women. After all, they were bikers. Often times their dates were a little less hippy mommas and more beach babes. This didn’t count Star, of course, she had been a rather annoying surprise to them all. 

But Star wasn’t their problem anymore. All the boys were like-minded in this thought process. Hell, they were happy to throw a party for the girl as she seemed to attract the oldest of the Emerson children like a corpse to maggots. The boy had it bad for that one, they had seen it in his eyes.

David, leading the pack of trouble makers, took a sharp left, his eyes glancing to his bike mirror, seeing Michael fighting to keep up. The boy was impressive enough, perfect to be molded into something better, more like the pack. He had the style and the looks to fit in with their group perfectly. After all, David didn’t want another Paul on their hands, one beach bum bimbo was enough to train. 

Smirking, David took another sharp turn, breaking suddenly and killing his engine. The rest of the guys followed suit, their bikes shutting off until the only thing that could be heard was the roaring of the ocean in the distance. 

“Ready Michael?” David said as he led them onto what Michael could now identify as train tracks. 

“Ready for what? What’s going on,” Michael questioned, his eyes moving from one boy to the next as they walked to the middle of the bridge covered in train tracks. 

Chuckling, David smirked and looked over to the curly blonde. “Michael wants to know what is going on. Marco, what’s going on?”

Marco laughed and gave Michael a teasing smile before whirling around to the blonde rocker. “I don’t know, what’s going on Paul?”

Paul, who had been in a daze for a second blinked and laughed, clapping a hand onto Marco’s shoulder. “Wait a minute, who wants to know?”

The Native American looking member of the group jerked his head in Michael’s direction, his brown hair sliding across lightly washed out brown skin. “Michael wants to know.”

Moving David maneuvered Michael to look at the guys behind him, his arm over the curly brunette’s shoulder. “I think we should let Michael know what’s going on.”

“Yeah,” Paul said in a laid back tone, a goofy smile on his face.

David turned and gave Marco a look then. “Marco?”

Marco glanced form David to Michael before waving his fingers at Michael. “Goodnight Michael,” he said as he then stepped off the bridge yelling “Bombs away!”

Michael jerked forward as if to stop the guy, but David held onto him firmly as Paul stepped forward and snapped his fingers.

“Bottoms up, man,” Paul said with laughter in his voice before following after Marco. Dwayne then flicked his hands up to look as though he were shooting at Michael and David before dropping over the edge as well. 

David then pulled his arm off of Michael and moved to stand in front of him, hand still on Michael’s bicep. “Come with us, Michael,” David said before jumping as well. 

Freaked out, Michael moved forward to look down under the bridge. There he found the boys hanging from bars under the bridge. There the boys hooted at him as they swung about. David watched him for a few seconds before calling out to him; “Michael Emerson, come on down.” 

Determined to not be outdone, Michael carefully climbed down and hung from a metal bar. His eyes flickering over the boys as he grunted at his own body weight. 

Paul snickered then grinned at Michael. “Welcome aboard Michael!”

David just smirked, “Fun, huh?”

It was at that moment the sound of a train’s horn could be heard, causing terror to flash in Michael’s eyes. 

As the railroad started to shake from the vibrations of the train, David shouted to ‘hold on’ while Michael, on the other hand, shouted ‘Jesus Christ’ as Paul fell.

Paul laughed as he was the first to let go, his body falling into the mist below. Seeing this Michael began to panic. As if sensing his fear, Marco yelled at him to ‘not be afraid’ before he too fell into the fog followed by Dwayne. 

David then chuckled darkly. “Michael, you are one of us, let go!”

“On to what,” Michael questioned, terrified.

“You are one of us Michael,” David repeated before calmly letting go of the bar, falling into the fog.

“David!” Michael shouted his name as he watched him descend into the fog, the train letting up as it came to the end. 

Suddenly it was quiet, eerily so, and it surrounded Michael as he hung onto the tracks, attempting to pull himself up. Then the silence was broken by the sounds of the guys, David’s voice being the loudest as he chanted Michael’s name. 

Unable to hold on anymore, Michael’s hands slowly slipped from the bar sending him flying down into the fog screaming.


	16. Chapter Fourteen: Comics and Unusual Beginnings

Sam was miffed at his siblings. Here he was at home, still pouty over the whole Laddie stealing his sister thing and they are off doing who knows what. In an act of defiance to everyone, Sam curled up in his bed with Nanook and pulled out the crumpled vampire comic he had picked up for god knows why reason. If Michael and Nicole were just going to run off with strangers and leave him behind, he would get even… somehow… 

Grumbling to himself as Nanook leaned onto his legs, Sam opened the comic “Vampires everywhere” and started to read, his shoulders pulling in as he was unconsciously drawn in. Soon, he had lost track of time, his mind soaking in the information the comic. This is how Lucy found him, scaring him a bit as she suddenly told him it was lights out time. 

“Just let me finish this comic,” he asked, his eyes glancing up to stare at his mother. 

Sighing, Lucy nodded. “Alright, but then lights out.” Turning, she went to leave, stepping past the closet. 

“Mom,” Sam pipped up, his face taking on puppy eyes as he glanced to the closet door. 

Sighing gently, Lucy closed the closet door then walked over to Sam, sitting down on the edge of his bed. 

“I can’t sleep with the closet door open either, not even a crack,” smiling at Sam, she leaned forward to ruffle his hair affectionately. “Want to know a secret? I think it’s one of the reasons I divorced your father. After all… he never believed… in the closet monster!” Right as she said the last part, Lucy leaned in to tickle her son only to soon be screaming with him.

“Closet monster?!” Grandpa shouted behind them suddenly as he stood in the bedroom doorway. 

Embarrassed, Lucy jumped to her feet with a gentle fake glare at her father. “Dad! Don’t go around sneaking up on people like that!”

Grampa snorted, stepping closer to Lucy and Sam before he winked at Sam. “It’s called the Indian walk. Walkin’ without makin’ a sound.”

It was then Sam noticed grandpa had something hidden away behind his back. Catching Sam’s curious stare, Grandpa grinned. 

“Brought you a little somethin’ to dress up your room,” Grandpa cackled before pulling out a grotesque looking stuffed woodchuck from behind his back. Ignoring the complete look of revulsion on the faces of those in the room, Grandpa then placed the damnable thing on the bedside table to stare directly at Sam as if it was some protective totem. 

Lucy gave her son a pleading look as Sam stared at the evil little decoration before turning and giving his grandpa a weak smile. “Th-thanks, grandpa.”

His grandpa chuckled and turned to walk out of the room throwing out the promise that there was lots more where the dead décor came from. 

Back deep in the Lost Boy’s cave where they had left Star, Laddie, and Nicole to slumber, the boys returned one member short. Feeling like giving Michael a good scare of confusion, they had dropped him off after the bridge incident into his bed. It was just before dawn, after all, and everyone could feel the need for some sleep ebbing into the backs of their minds. 

Star lay asleep, her back turned to Laddie and Nicole, who lay curled around one another. It seemed at some point Star had gotten lonely and crawled into the bed David had given to Nicole. Her presence caused the space to get tight, however it hadn’t been a problem. Laddie was now resting his head on Nicole’s shoulder, his little arm wrapped tightly around her to keep her in her place. In return, Nicole was rolled onto her side, her face snuggled into the top of the boy’s head, her own arm curled around him in a motherly manner, as if she was shielding him away from danger. It was this the Lost boys came to find as they moved to the bed they had left them in, each of the boys sprouting a smile as they came upon the sleeping trio. Yes, even Star sleeping in the same bed had brought some warmth to the boys, as if they were looking into the future. It looked as though their little ragtag family was almost complete. 

David frowned. He knew with what little time they had left that he needed to get Nicole back to the Emerson’s home. It wouldn’t do well in building trust with Michael if they kept her at the cave but let him return home.   
Dwayne could see the frustration on David’s face. He understood what the man was thinking. He was wanting to send Nicole back home, but not after seeing her fit in so well in the cave.

“Just let her stay. We can always convince Michael that he left her here because Star asked him to. I’m sure you can get Star to agree.”

David turned to look at his best friend and right hand man. Dwayne usually didn’t say something to that length. It was a trait Laddie had taken to over the years of living with them, having seen Dwayne as his father figure. 

Paul snickered and turned to Marco suddenly, punching him the shoulder. “Looks like Laddie got a taste of the dream before anyone huh,” He gestured to the two girls in the bed unable to help himself. He had yet to wind down despite feeling the need to sleep and catching two pretty girls in a bed made him giggly. 

Marco just smiled, though he didn’t feel as emptied headed about the situation as his blue-eyed friend. In fact, despite the atmosphere in the room, Marco still didn’t like Star. She was needy, whinny, and often times made jokes at him about his baby face when David wasn’t around. The girl was a menace in his book. Michael might be a damned godsend….if he didn’t try to hook up with Nicole instead. 

A wave of feelings fell on Marco as he thought back to earlier that night. They had planned to let Nicole drink from the bottle too. In fact David had tried to test both the siblings to check their mettle and have a little fun with them. It just hadn’t worked on Nicole. And then in a twisted change of events they all had a shock when Michael forced the wine down the girl’s throat… with a kiss. 

David turned to see Marco in serious thought rather in his usually joking nature. The curly haired blonde was staring at Nicole as if he was trying something out. Feeling the tiredness tug at his consciousness, though, he knew he didn’t have time for discussion with his boys. Taking one last look at the sleeping faces in the bed, he ushered the guys to the tunnels in the back of the cave. They could deal with things tonight.


	17. Chapter Fifteen: Dreams with Silent Screams

As Nicole slept, she found herself in the eye of her mind. No doubt she was dreaming, however it was strange, a feeling of unease wrapped around her heart. Before her stood a white door with faded baby pink edging that looked to lead into a girl’s bedroom. Reaching out, she ran her fingers along the cold smooth woodgrain in curiosity. Was she supposed to open it? Was this dream supposed to answer some hidden question in the back of her mind? 

Chewing on the inside of her left cheek, Nicole took a deep breath and gripped the cool metal knob, turning it and pushing the door open in one quick movement before stepping into the room. As her hand fell away from the door knob, the door slammed shut behind her, as if closing off her escape from learning the truth. There would be no retreat now, she could only move forward. 

Stepping further into the room, the sounds of sobbing filtered to her ears. They were quiet at first, barely notable. But as she moved further and further into what was obviously a teenage girl’s room, the sobs grew louder. 

Frowning, Nicole searched for the person crying only to come face to face with a sickly young woman, a teenager near adulthood who looked like she would never make it. 

The girl had dull brown hair that hung past her thin shoulders. Her clothes hung from her body awkwardly, obviously too big and pretty old. She had thin arms wrapped tightly around her legs, her skin sporting bruises in various stages of healing and age. 

Nicole felt her heart in her throat as she stared at the girl. She wanted to comfort her and yet she was terrified to touch her. To touch her would make her real and Nicole was sure she didn’t want to do that. Instead she stared as the girl sobbed, tears rolling down her cheeks in think drops. 

Suddenly the girl looked up, staring right at Nicole, yet she didn’t seem to actually see her. Instead she was looking at the door Nicole had come through with such rage and heartbreak that Nicole wanted to find out what was on the other side to bring such pain. She felt a sense of vengeance in her heart for some odd reason, the need to get revenge, to destroy whatever was beyond the door. A wave of bloodlust curled in her stomach and she found herself tugging the door open just as an older heavyset woman with peroxide blonde hair that curled around her ears seemed to walk right through her. 

Naturally Nicole ran her hands around herself, testing to see if she was solid – she was. Just apparently not to the others in her dream. 

Hatred rolled on the sickly teenager, hatred and a sharp edge of fear as Nicole watched the older woman saunter over to her.

Fear flooded Nicole’s veins as she watched the woman grab the teenager up by a handful of hair, the woman’s mouth moving but Nicole couldn’t hear what she said. Her ears were deaf to all but the cries of the teenager, the pleading and begging to be left alone. The woman, still holding the girl by her hair, slammed her against the wall she had been trying to fade away in. A crack sounded in Nicole’s ears and she felt the urge to vomit as she saw the blood smear left behind when the woman turned to drag the now rather limp teenager from the room. 

Rushing, Nicole turned and almost ran after the two through the door, her feet falling against soft carpet the first few steps until suddenly the hallway scene changed. Now she found herself standing at the top of a staircase staring… at herself. Eyebrows furrowing, Nicole became confused. She had didn’t have any memory of ever standing in a house like this one. Just one glance told her this was some sort of wealthy home. When had she ever been in such a place?

Confused, Nicole looked back to herself, taking in the torn shirt, the busted lip, and the teary eyes. The look of terror on her face was obvious and in the background, Nicole could make out the sounds of a motorbike getting closer and closer. She watched herself glance down the stairs where a front door stood tall and intimidating, see a moment of hope flash on her face as the door began to open until large hands slammed into her back causing her to lose her footing. Nicole reached out, wanting to save her other self from tumbling down the stairs, but she couldn’t grab on. She watched herself fall, rolling to a stop at the bottom as Michael stepped through the doors, rushing to her side before looking back up the staircase in rage. 

The scene around her twisted like the hurt and betrayal in her gut, soon she found herself standing between two hospital beds in the same hospital room. On one bed lay the sickly girl she had seen first, in the other lay her own body. In the corner of the room by her bed, Lucy was sleeping, her face white and withered from exhaustion. On the other side, the large woman with peroxide hair sat reading a magazine. 

Nicole didn’t understand. How did she know about the girl? How had she seen what had no doubt brought her to the hospital? This dream wasn’t making any sense. 

Frustrated, Nicole wanted to wake up, she wanted to get away as she didn’t understand. Turning, she was hoping if she left the hospital room she would find a way out of the dream, only as she did this flashing lights filled the hall and people streamed into the room to both girl’s beds. She could hear the faint echoes of shouting from the group and the duel sound of a flat line going off. Turning back she stared as both girls coded, their hearts stopping in sync with one another. 

For the first time, Nicole physically felt something touch her in her dream. A slender hand tugged her shoulder and made her turn to see… herself. 

“They know now. They know the truth with this. They were good people though, loving. I never had loving people like them before.”

Nicole frowned. “Why am I telling myself this?” She was asking herself more so than the image of herself, but the girl in front of her laughed, turning Nicole until she found herself staring into the room window, her reflection though… wasn’t her. It was the first girl. She was staring at the first girl with the dull brown hair and too-thin body. 

“Take care of them for me, Nicky. I can feel you fading away and I know you’ve never been loved. Let me give you this, a second chance. A second chance for a loving family, a second chance for new beginning.” 

Confused, Nicky turned to look at who she now knew was the real Nicole. Yes, she had originally been Nicky Barker, daughter of Ronald and Angela Barker. The father who was never there and the mother who despised her so much she had finally beaten her to death on their kitchen floor, calling the cops after she cleaned up, claiming it was those nasty delinquents who broke into the house. She had been murdered by her own mother, her body and soul just hadn’t accepted it yet until this moment. 

“I can’t go back. I’m too broken now. But you, I see the fire, the hate. There is a thin line between love and hate, Nicky. It’s time you crossed it and lived.” 

Nicole’s spirit reached out then and shoved Nicky, causing the girl to fall backwards into the body lying on the hospital bed next to a wailing Lucy Emerson. The sound of one of the heart monitors coming back to life as Nicky opened her eyes once again to see Lucy staring down at her.


	18. Chapter sixteen: Some Truths are better kept Secrets

Nicole - no, Nicky, opened her eyes to find Laddie still fast asleep. Her mind was strangely clear and calm like still water as she lay in the bed, her dream replaying in her mind. As it did, she laughed silently to herself at the absurdity of believing it to be real. She wanted to chalk it right up there with the tooth fairy and vampires, but she couldn’t. She felt it down to her soul the dream was a true set of memories and experiences, hers and the body she controlled. 

It explained so much to her now. The reason she woke up in a hospital six months ago with no memories. They said it was the trauma of suffering a brain injury, but it was really due to the fact that her soul had no recognition of the Emerson family. It explained why she relished in everything, finding anything that made her feel happiness something to treasure, to care for. This was her second chance to live, and she really wanted to live the best she could. 

Taking a deep breath, Nicky decided she wouldn’t ever share her secret, at least not if it could be helped. Who would believe her? She barely accepted it. Not wanting to feel anguish over what she couldn’t change, Nicky cuddled close to Laddie again, her eyes closing as she fell back to sleep. 

“Michael… Michael… MICHAEL!” 

Michael winces as he tries to open his eyes. He could have sworn he heard David and the guys chanting his name only to wake up to Sam screaming his name and slamming the phone into his chest. 

“Mom’s on the phone for you,” Sam said as Michael growled and fumbled forward for his sunglasses on his nightstand. 

Seeing what Michael wanted, Sam sighed and grabbed them for him. “What you need to wear sunglasses indoors now?” Noticing Michael’s strange long nails too, Sam snorted. “You freebasing now? Inquiring minds want to know!”

Giving Sam a hostile look, Michael swallowed hard, his mouth dry like cotton as he put the phone to his ear. 

“Hi mom…”

“Michael are you still in bed?”

“No, no I’m up.” 

“Oh good. I would have asked Nicole this, but Sam said she wasn’t home, said there was a note in her room saying she was staying with Laddie and Star tonight. I’ll have to talk to her when she comes home about asking me first.”

Lucy began to drift from her original subject, which she noticed. “Anyways, Michael will you do me a favor this evening and stay home with Sam? Max asked me out to dinner and I would really like to go.”

“Sam is old enough to watch himself,” Michael responded with Sam chiming in the background that he didn’t need a babysitter. 

“Michael please, I want you to watch him for me.”

Sighing, Michael closed his eyes and gritted his teeth before using an agreeable voice to agree to watch Sam. “Sure mom.”

“Thank you Michael. When Nicole gets home, ask her to watch him so you can go out, alright?”

“Sure.”

Satisfied, Lucy had hung up the phone leaving Michael to his own devices with Sam. 

Dropping the phone back on the hook, Michael leaned back and closed his eyes, fully prepared to go back to sleep. After all, Sam said he didn’t need a baby sitter. 

Suddenly Michael sprang back up, scaring the crap out of Sam for a moment. “She’s still asleep in the cave!”

Confused, Sam looked at Michael as if he had grown a second head. “What? What cave? Who are you talking about? Is it that girl from the concert? Her family lives in a cave? You left Nicky in a cave, Mikey?!”

“Sam shut up!” Michael’s voice growled out at his little brother. The kid was going a mile a second in the question lane and Michael couldn’t keep up. 

“First of all, Nicky is sleeping over at Star’s…hangout. I didn’t leave her there on purpose, but she had fallen asleep and I didn’t want to wake her.” This wasn’t completely the truth, but Sam didn’t need to know that Michael had gotten drunk on wine and high as a kite the night before along with Nicky and couldn’t even remember how he got home let alone how the hell she was supposed to get back. 

Sam pouted. Michael and Nicky were out having a blast, but here he was receiving stuffed woodchucks. “I’m going to make a sandwich.” With that Sam stormed out while Michael went back to sleep.


	19. Chapter Seventeen: Windex Works Best

Once again Sam finds himself in the kitchen slapping bologna onto some bread. The sun was still in the process of setting, its final rays over the horizon and still Nicky hadn’t returned home and Michael was snoring away in his room. To be honest, Sam was starting to worry for his older siblings, they hadn’t behaved like this since Nicky had gotten out of the hospital. Was it depression from the move making them so reckless? 

The sounds of cupboards banging about behind him pull Sam from his thoughts, his head turning to find his grandpa dressed up in a suit and tie, something very different as to his usual style. Noticing his grandson watching him, Grandpa gets a hopeful look in his eye.

“Anything here that might pass for aftershave?”

Sam glances around, thinking rather deeply on his grandpa’s request. Seeing a bottle of Windex on the window seal, Sam moves and picks it up, handing it out to his Grandpa. “How about some Windex grandpa?”

“Yeah, yeah let me try some of that.” Grandpa sprayed some of the Windex on his palm and took a whiff before slapping it onto his neck with a giddy smile.

“Got a big date tonight, Grandpa?” Michael asked as he entered the kitchen, Sam and grandpa turning to look at him.

At first Grandpa was taken aback by the fact Michael was sporting his sunglasses, but shrugging that off he gave Michael a sly smile.

“Just gonna drop by some of my handy work over to the Widow Johnson.” Reaching behind Michael, Grandpa grabbed the stuffed beaver and his hat he had left sitting there just as Michael gave him a condescending look.

“What’d you stuff for her? Mr. Johnson?” Michael couldn’t help but sound nasty, being cranky with what felt like one hell of a hangover and to top it off he couldn’t find Nicky when he woke up which made him anxious. 

Grandpa gave Michael a hurt expression before telling the boys he would see them later, heading out to his house call a little less giddy than he had started out. 

“That wasn’t funny,” Sam stated as he went back to making his sandwiches. 

They hear grandpa drive away in his pick-up truck and Sam pulls out more bread.

“I’m going to make you a sandwich.”

Michael frowns then gives Sam a sneer. “Don’t bother.”

Frustrated at his brother’s behavior, Sam drops the sandwich he had just made onto the floor for Nanook. Glancing back to Michael he notices his brother had gotten an ear pierced. This caused him to snort. They used to be wealthy valley boys from Phoenix. Then right before they moved, Michael had started dressing in punk style clothing – Sam was pretty sure this was due to Nicky who had cleaved to Michael those six months before the divorce was finalized. Now the idiot had gone and gotten his ear pierced for that gypsy girl. 

Nicky, Sam could accept. He had gotten use to her, even to the point where he felt jealous over her sibling affection. But some gypsy girl his brother had just met on the boardwalk? That was a bit much.

“Lose the earring, Michael. It’s not you, it’s defiantly not you.” 

Taking his sunglasses off and rubbing his eyes, feeling a bit better now, more alive, Michael rolled his eyes at Sam and told him to piss off.

As Michael turned to leave the kitchen, Sam couldn’t help but shout out after him; “You have a great personality Michael, you should open your own charm school.”

Michael was about to turn back and yell at Sam, but at the moment headlight beams began to shine brightly through the kitchen windows seeming to pass through one to the next rapidly. 

Brows furrowed, Michael was wondering what the hell was going on as he followed the lights into the Living-room. There the headlights flashed across the window curtains as the roar of motorbike engines filled the quiet night. 

Along with the roar of the engines, Michael could have sworn he heard his name being chanted, starting out quietly then rising louder and louder until Michael found himself standing in front of the front door. 

Sam was in a panic. He didn’t know what was going on, but he had a bad feeling about it in the pit of his stomach. Just as he saw Michael go for the front door, Sam screeches “Don’t open it!” 

The sound of motorbike engines continue to roar around the house as though bikes were doing circles around it over and over again. Michael’s hand was on the doorknob ready to twist it open as Sam screamed no at him. Ignoring his brother, Michael threw the door open only to find….

Nothing. No one was outside, in fact the only thing out of place was the gust if cold air and the echoing sound of motorbike engines in the far distance. A low ground fog was also creeping in across the yard leaving Sam and Michael bewildered. 

Sam looked to Michael with a questioning expression just as a creak sounded on the stairs, both boys whipping around to find Nicky coming down them rubbing her tired eyes. 

“Hey Sam is everything alright, I heard you scream?” She mumbles in a groggy voice, sleep still clinging to her.

Staring at Nicky, both siblings nearly hit the ground on their asses, faces white as ash and eyes wide as saucers. 

“Where the hell did you come from?” Sam yelled pointing.


	20. Chapter Eighteen: Beating Louder and Louder

Lucy pulls up to the restaurant Max asked her to meet him at, her hand barely on the door handle before she looks up to see him standing there, opening it for her. Shocked, her cheeks heat up a bit taking on a reddish hue. 

Offering his hand, Max smiles and as a gentleman he helps her to her feet and escorts her inside. 

Both adults look forward to the evening, something to enjoy with someone on the same level of conversation. Lucy was grateful that she could stop being mom for a moment and simply be Lucy for an evening. The restaurant was a bit intimidating on a first date with someone she barely knew, but past experiences had trained her well for the environment. 

They were lead to their table where Max ordered a gentle but flavorful wine to start off their evening together. As they drink a glass and nibble on beget slices, Lucy and Max talk about various things from their experiences to work. 

Meanwhile, back at the house Nicky blinks in confusion at the boys, worry taking over her features. “What are you talking about? Sam, are you alright?” Rushing down the stairs, she placed her hand on Sam’s forehead checking to see if he had a fever or something as he didn’t look well. 

Michael stared at Nicky as though he saw a ghost, an expression that made the girl chuckle silently in her mind as she thought to the dream she had had a while ago. Yes, a dream, she was back to believing she had simply had one hell of a dream. After all it wasn’t possible, right? 

“Nicky when did you get home?” Michael asked, standing straight and placing a warm hand on her shoulder. 

“Didn’t you bring me home? I just woke up in my bed so I assumed you came and got me this morning.”

Sam snorted. “You haven’t been home all day and all Michael has done is sleep.”

“Oh,” shrugging, Nicky got up and stretched her arms up, fingers lacing together as she twisted and turned her limbs trying to wake them up. “Maybe one of the guys dropped me off them.”

Michael thought back to moments ago when they had seen motorbike headlights and heard the engines roaring. Had that been what that was? Had they brought Nicky back and snuck her upstairs to mess with him again? Shaking his head and feeling a little calmer about the situation, he clapped his hand on Sam’s head. 

“Go get a bath, brat.”

Sam, seeing his siblings seemed to be fine now, shrugged and hollered for Nanook to follow him upstairs. He went and grabbed his thick robe from his room and a change of underpants before creeping into the bathroom and shutting the door as Nanook slipped inside. 

Nicky laughed as she heard Sam turn on the radio in there to full blast singing along with it. He was just too cute for his own good. 

“So where’s Lucy, I mean mom?”

Michael sneered and opened the fridge door peering into it. “She’s on a date with Max. And you don’t have to call her mom, Nicky. She’s not after all.” 

Nicky seemed to grow smaller at his statement, rubbing her left hand up her bicep as if trying to comfort herself. Was she not allowed to want to try and have a family? Why was Michael always so aggressive over this? Sometimes he treated her with affection, but when it came to her calling Lucy mom he always got agitated. 

“And grandpa?”

“Went to Widow Johnson’s place,” Michael answered in a lighter tone as he pulled a carton of milk out of the fridge. 

Not even bothering to get a glass, he folded out the paper spout to drink directly from the carton when suddenly he buckles over. The milk carton crashes to the kitchen floor and bursts, milk spreading across the hardwood as Michael clutches his abdomen in agony. 

“Mikey are you alright,” Nicky asks moving forward to put a hand on his shoulder only to hear him growl at her in response. Hurt by his action, Nicky side-stepped around him and moved to the pantry to get a mop so she could at least help with the mess. As her fingers wrapped around the handle, though, she found herself doubling over in pain, a whimper passing her lips. 

Hearing the mop clatter to the floor, Michael felt alright enough to get up, staggering to where Nicky is doubled over. As he neared her the pain came back bringing him to his knees. Clutching his abdomen he heard his heart beat begin to pound in his ears, the loud rhythm causing blood to surge through his body. Glancing up as if to plead to a higher power to make the pain go away Michael ended up looking directly into the pantry to see everything come alive, as if the very walls were breathing in and out. Looking back down, he made eye contact with Nicky, the girl staring at him as though he were a lifeline to the pounding heart in her own chest. 

Sam is singing to the song on the radio as he comes soap through his hair, styling it into various punk rocker styles before destroying them and flipping his comb in the air. As he does this, Nanook lift’s his head up to whine at the bathroom door. 

From the shadows at the bottom of the stairs Michael finds himself standing, climbing the staircase to the second landing. His heart beat had calmed down as he had begun to climb, yet the closer and closer he got the second floor landing the louder his heartbeat began to get again. As he moves towards the bathroom door it gets louder and louder in his ears, pushing him forward.

In the kitchen, Nicky is curled into a ball, her gums on fire as it feels like something is slicing them open, trying to force its way through. Michael had vanished on her, in her sight one minute then gone the next. She was afraid. Her fear spiking the blood rushing through her veins and screaming in her mind uncontrollably. 

Then she heard it, a scuffling as though there was a fight going on above her head. There was growling and barking then a painful howl rose in the air. She heard the thud as something seemed to fall down the stairs, the sound giving her painful flashbacks and making her curl up into a tighter ball as tears rolled down her cheeks. Then suddenly everything went black, the pain vanishing as Nicky found herself sucked deep into her subconscious. There the flashbacks became more solid, forming an actual moving picture as though she were watching a movie on a screen. There was no sound to this film, but the imagery spoke for itself.


	21. Chapter Nineteen: Awakening shit-sucking Vampires of the Night

A fearful face flashed in front of Nicky’s eyes. It was a mirror image to the one she would see if she looked into one right now, only there was a bruise on the right side of the girl’s mouth and blood trailed down from a split lip. As Nicky followed the trail of blood down the girl’s chin to watch it drip onto a torn white blouse that looked like it had come from Lucy’s closet she felt a need to run her tongue back up the red beaded trail to the girl’s heart-shaped lips. 

Unable to think about that feeling, the images kept moving in front of her, silent until the roar of a motorbike came to life as the girl standing at the top of the stairs turned in hope to peer down at the front doors. Then suddenly large tan hands pushed her forward causing her to tumble down the stairs. 

Nicky watched the girl roll to the bottom of the stairs only to roll in reverse back up them in slow motion. In some strange twist, she watched as the girl came to stand at the top of the stairs again then watched as she ran in backwards motion from the stairs to a bedroom where in the background a large man with dark brown hair cut short appeared to be rolling on the floor in pain. As the scene continued to play in reverse, Nicky saw the girl struggling under the man, fighting for her life at his perverse aggression. The scene came to a pause finally as Nicky saw the man standing in the doorway while the girl slept on the bed. 

Looking at him, Nicky knew right away who it was. Mr. Emerson, the boys’ dad. She had a ridged fear of the man after she had woken up in the hospital bed. Later it was exposed by Michael that he had pushed her down the stairs of their mansion in Phoenix. After that Lucy filed for divorce but didn’t win anything but custody of the kids due to the man’s powerful attorneys. Now she knew why he had tried to kill her. But did he really just try?

Nicky blinked, her eyes opening as a metallic smell wafted to her nose, calling her to it. It was a strangely sweet smell, intoxicating and teasing her senses. The smell consumed her, any thoughts of working out what she had seen pushed to a dark corner of her mind. The pain in her mouth was nothing now as she slowly pulled herself to her feet, her body moving towards the entrance to the kitchen to stop and stare at Michael who was crouched low in the shadows in front of the stairs. Her tongue slipped past the seam of her lips as she watched Michael’s own tongue rake across the bleeding wound of his hand in slow savoring licks. No doubt neither even knew what was happening at the moment as their eyes seemed to lock on one another, yellow-amber eyes meeting orange sunrise. 

Sam jerked the bathroom door at that time, his overly large robe wrapped tightly around him. Fearful, he walked across the landing calling out for Michael and Nicky, getting no answer. He even calls out for his dog, but his loyal companion doesn’t seem able to answer. 

Then as he hits the top of the stairs he hears it. Heavy breathing, as though someone had run up and down the boardwalk only to stand right behind him out of breath. Turning, Sam looked behind him to find nothing there, but the sound continued. Looking back to the bottom of the stairs, Sam can see a silhouette from the kitchen doorway. 

“Nicky? Mickey?” Biting his bottom lip, he pulled the robe closer to himself. “Come on guys, this isn’t funny!” 

Michael breaks off his intense stare with Nicky, realizing he was licking the blood from his hand and shaking himself back to reality as much as he possibly could. Turning he looked up to see a scared Sam reaching for the light switch. 

“Don’t turn on the light Sammy,” Michael said softly, holding his bleeding hand afraid of what Sam will see if he does. 

Nicky shook herself out of the trance she had been in as soon as Michael broke contact with her. She heard Michael tell Sam not to turn on the light but it was too late. The young teen had already hit the switch and let out a scream that threatened to burst her eardrums. 

Sam see’s Michael at the bottom of the stairs, blood dripping from his hand and smeared on the floor. 

“Michael what happened?”

“Nanook…” Michael began before Sam glared at him.

“What about Nanook? What have you done to Nanook?! What have you done to my dog, you asshole?!” Sam was screaming by the end of his rant, his face flushed red from fear driven anger. 

“Nothing! This is my blood, he bit me.” 

Hearing Sam react to seeing the bite marks in Michael’s palm, Nanook rushes to his side protectively. Reaching down, Sam puts a comforting hand on the dog’s head. 

“What did you do to him, Michael? Why did he bite you?”

Michael gritted his teeth and looked away from Sam as Nanook growled at him. “He… was protecting you.” 

Standing up, Michael winced at his hand as Nicky appeared from the kitchen with a tea towel to wrap around the wound. 

Sam just can’t believe that his dog bit his brother protecting him. What was there to protect him from Michael? Looking back up at his siblings, Sam screamed once again, reacting to what he sees in the hallway mirror. 

Michael looks up at Sam to see his terrified expression. “What?”

“L-look at your reflection in the mirror!” 

Turning, Michael and Nicky look into the mirror to see a translucent version of Michael looking back at them while Sam waved his hand around appearing to wave it in Michael’s body. 

“You’re a creature of the night, Michael! Just like in the comic book… You’re a vampire, Michael! Quick, Nicky get away from him, he’s-“ 

That’s when they all noticed that Nicky didn’t appear in the mirror at all. At least not as the blue-haired girl they were used to these days. No, in her place stood a sickly young teen girl with pale skin and dull brown hair. Her body was all bone and dark rings were under her lifeless eyes. 

It was just for a moment, the image of the poor soul staring back at them as Nicky stared into the mirror, but when she turned away to look at Sam the image rippled back to the blue-haired beauty. 

“Wha-what the hell is going on? What the hell just happened Nicky?” Sam heaved as he turned to run up the stairs, Nanook hot on his heels. “My own brother – a goddamn shit-sucking vampire and my sister… I don’t even know damn it!”

Confused, Michael turns to look at Nicky. He had seen that girl before even if Sam hadn’t. It was the same girl who died in the hospital room Nicky had shared with. In fact it was right after that incident that Nicky seemed to not recognize anyone. It was also when her eyes seemed to take on a yellowish hue. 

“What…”

Shaking his head, Michael decided to explore that after Sammy yelled down for them to “Wait’ll Mom finds out!”


	22. Chapter Twenty: Phone Calls and Withdraws

Sam makes a cross with his fingers as Michael and Nicky turn to go after them up the stairs. 

“Stay back!”

They pause, letting Sam run to his room and lock the door with Nanook inside. Climbing the stairs, the two end up in Michael’s bed where they collapse on it in a daze together. Nicky whimpers, confused on what is happening around her, a tear rolling down her cheek. Michael wraps an arm around her suddenly, pulling her close to his chest and burying his face into her blue hair. 

“Nicky… Nicky Barker,” Michael murmured quietly, feeling Nicky still in his arms as if she was frozen. 

Closing his eyes, Michael sucked in a deep breath. “Nicole died, didn’t she? Her soul passed on while you clang on.” 

“We both died I think,” Nicky whispered. “I dreamed about it today. Dreamed of dying. Murdered by my mother, her by your father.” Nicky tried to pull away then, sure Michael didn’t want to hold her anymore, but he kept a tight grip, nuzzling the top of her head trying to get her to keep talking. 

“I… I was so confused. I didn’t remember anything when I woke up in that hospital bed. I didn’t even know my own name until Lucy called me Nicky. I answered to her without thinking, the name was mine after all. Then when the doctor called me Nicole I just assumed it was what Nicky was short for.” 

“What happened in your dream, Nicky?” 

“I… Nicole and I stood next to one another in front of a window and I saw my reflection. I found out I wasn’t Nicole Emerson but Nicky Barker. Nicole had such a gentle expression on her face then. One of peace, she even laughed. She told me your family had showed her true love, something I had never had. But she said she was broken now. She couldn’t come back to you and you didn’t deserve that. She-she pushed my soul into her body. And then I opened her eyes.”

“No. No not Nicole’s eyes. Her eyes had been a deep dark brown. Your eyes have been a yellow-amber since six months ago, since your soul possessed her dead body.” 

As those words, ‘possessed her dead body’, tumbled from Michael’s lips he pulled away from the girl seeking comfort in his arms. 

“Aren’t we a pair now? A corpse and a blood sucker.” 

Nicky felt her heart break then. She didn’t even known Michael could break it, but he had. 

Sam scrambled in his room to find the comic the Frog brothers gave him. Flipping it over, he read the number off the back and began to ring up the brothers he had thought were plain crazy only a day ago. 

“Frog comics,” Edgar replied in a way of saying hello. 

“Is this the Frog brothers?”

“Yes.”

“This is Sammy, the guy you gave a vampire comic to?”

Edgar looked over to Alan and titled his head to the back room where Alan picked up a second phone. Transferring the call, Edgar hung up the one at the register.

“What’s up Sammy?”

“I think my brother’s a vampire.”

“You did the right thing by calling us,” Edgar replied, glancing to his brother and nodding. “Does your brother sleep a lot?” 

Sam gulped, holding the phone to his ear. “Yeah, all day.”

Alan took the phone then, “Can’t stand light?”

Licking his lips, Sam stroked the top of Nanook’s head. “He was wearing sunglasses in the house today.”

Edgar wrestled the phone back from Alan. “Bad breath? Long fingernails?”

Sam thought back to earlier, thinking of his brother’s nails and his comment about freebasing. “His fingernails are pretty long now, but he’s always had bad breath.”

Alan nodded to Edgar. “He’s a vampire alright.”

“What the hell am I supposed to do?”

“Get yourself a good sharp stake and drive it straight through his heart,” Edgar said.

“Cut off his head,” Alan added. 

Sam turned pale thinking of staking his own brother. He just couldn’t see himself going through with it. “He’s my brother….”

“Better get yourself a garlic T-shirt then buddy,” Alan mumbled disinterested now at Sam’s obvious rejection to the ideas. 

Edgar shook his head in disappointment. “Or it’s your funeral.”

With that the Frog brothers hung up the phone leaving Sam even more worried that he already was. He still didn’t even know what his sister was and he couldn’t stake his brother. 

Michael turned to notice Nicky had rolled to have her back to him, her shoulders shaking. He frowned, unable to understand what was going on with her. After all she wasn’t turning into a blood-sucking fiend was she? Wait… Was she?! 

Making a twisted expression of frustration, Michael let out a breath of air and reached for the girl again, curious as to what was going on. As his hand touched her shoulder, Nicky whimpered and jerked away from his touch. Her body rolled over the edge just about to hit the floor before she began to float up into the air, her hair falling to hang over her left shoulder and her eyes wide with panic. 

“Mi-Mikey what’s happening,” Nicky cried as her back hit the ceiling, her hands stretched out to the boy sitting on his bed. 

Worry washed over Michael for the girl he had just related to as nothing more than a corpse. Standing, he reached out to take her hand and pull her back down only to find his own feet weren’t touching the floor anymore. Neither of the two could control what was happening to them, all they could do was grab onto one another while grappling for something to pull them down to the floor again. 

Michael, in an attempt to get them both back to his bed, reached out and caught the window blinds cord in his hand. The action caused the blinds to spring up to the top, the open window seeming to suck onto him as he kicked to get Nicky and himself away. 

Afraid, Nicky wrapped her legs around Michael’s waist and her arms around his neck, burying her tear stained face into his shoulder. Her whole body trembled against his, her warm skin conflicting with the idea that her body was nothing more than a cold corpse. 

Angry at everything, Michael growled, one arm wrapping around Nicky’s back to keep her pressed against him while the other gripped onto the window seal, their bodies now dangling above the ground outside the house. 

As Sam frets over what to do the phone rings making him jump up. He had forgotten the thing sitting in his lap while lost in his thoughts.

Picking up the receiver, Sam gave a shaking panicked “Hello!” 

Hearing the fear and panic in her son’s voice, Lucy answers asking him if he is okay.

“Mom… I think we’ve got to have a long talk about something.”

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Sam sniffled a bit, licking his lips. “W-we can’t talk about it over the phone, mom.” 

Just as Lucy was going to say they could talk about it when she got home, Sam let out an ear-piercing shriek almost making Lucy’s heart stop.

Outside Sam’s window was a panicked Michael and a crying Nicky floating in the air. Before Michael could open his mouth to ask Sam for help, the kid began screaming over the phone to Lucy; “Oh no! Oh God! He’s coming to get me! Mom! He’s going to kill me!”

Hearing this, Lucy fled the restaurant after dropping the phone, Max catching sight of her as she slammed into her car and sped away. The poor man was at a loss, truly. The night had been going wonderfully, they had so much in common. She had gone to check on her boys because dinner was going to be longer than she had first thought and then she was gone.


	23. Chapter Twenty-one: Homecoming

Sam was pulling Michael and Nicky back into Michael’s bedroom when Lucy neared the house in her land rover. Once Michael and Nicky are safely in the room, Sam slammed the window shut, spinning around to stare at them.  
Michael managed to pull himself and Nicky to sit on his bed, using his belt wrapped around the frame and his arm to anchor them in place. Afraid that she will fly away if she lets go, Nicky tightens her grip on Michael, her body now appearing to straddle his while they sat on the already messy bedspread. 

Michael caught Sam’s look, showing his little brother he was just as freaked about what was happening. “We’ve got to stick together, Sammy.” Sam’s expression didn’t look good.

“You’ve got to help us, Sammy.”

“What about mom?”

“No way, we can’t tell her about this, she won’t believe us.”

Nicky turned to look at Sammy this time, her tear-stained face pulling at his heartstrings. “Please Sammy, don’t tell her. I don’t,” Nicky hiccups from all the crying, “don’t want to burden her.”

Sam still appeared unsure, despite his heart softening for his adopted sister. 

“Just for a few days, Sammy. Give us a chance to work this out on our own.”

Lucy sped into the driveway of the house, pulling her seat-belt off and throwing the driver door open before she even has the car in park. Springing from the car, she bolted into the house screaming Sam’s name just to see him calmly walk down the stairs. 

“Sam! Oh my God, what happened?! I was scared to death, are you all right?”

Taking a deep breath, Sam gave his mom a tight hug before letting go to stand awkwardly. Scratching the back of his head, he mumbled out an apology. 

“Sorry mom. It was a mistake… I thought I saw something out my window when I was reading this horror comic. I guess I let it get to me and got a little carried away right when you called.”

Lucy raises an eyebrow as she stares at her son in skepticism. His screams had sounded real enough to be more than just a simple comic book scare. 

“Where’s Michael and Nicole?”

“They went to bed after I got done with the bath….”

Upstairs Michael and Nicky felt the feel of gravity again, feeling more secure that they wouldn’t just fly away. As Nicky pulled away from Michael she was stopped by his hands suddenly grabbing her face, his eyes connecting with her own as they gazed at one another. 

Leaning forward, Michael seemed as though he was going to kiss her when Nicky pulled away, his comment from earlier rolling through her mind. 

Rejected, Michael felt his heart begin to ache, his hand reaching to rub the area of phantom pain as if he could make it go away. 

Lucy crawled into her bed, sad that her date was ruined and worried that Max wouldn’t want to see her again. She really liked the man, despite his attempt to reel her in with a show of wealth. She thought he was smart and charming, a true gentleman. He probably thought she was a nutcase now.

As she was about to turn off her bedside lamp, Sam came in wrapped up tight in his robe. She gave him a questioning look, but in return he gave her puppy eyes. “Can I sleep in here with you tonight? It was a really scary comic.”  
“Sure honey,” Lucy replies as she turns back to shut the light off, sniffing the air a moment in hesitation. 

“Have you been eating pizza? Oh, whew, you smell like garlic.”

Sam was turned away from his mom as he tried to fix his robe again revealing a chain of garlic wrapped around his neck and dangling against his chest. 

That night after Sam and Lucy had fallen asleep, Michael and Nicky climbed onto the back of his motorbike. They had formed an unspoken truce that they were going to ignore the fact that Nicky’s soul was possessing a body that didn’t belong to her since it appeared that had never been a problem before but turning into vampires now sure as hell was. 

They both agreed they needed answers, but the only way to get them would be to talk to the Lost Boys. There was only one place they knew the Lost Boys were likely to be at this time; the boardwalk. 

Michael road onto the boardwalk, still flourishing with the night life. Nicky’s arms loosened from around his waist as he came to a stop near the comic book store. “I’ll try to find them on foot, why don’t you try going to the Cave.”

Michael didn’t feel comfortable leaving Nicky on the boardwalk, but he nodded. They were shit-sucking vampires according to Sam after all. Who would want to mess with that? Revving his engine back to life, Michael turned towards Hudson’s Bluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter lacked luster and I have terrible block for further ones. I need to get Nicky back with the lost boys for some Lost BoysxNicky and Michael and Star may or may not have their cave scene.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I only own my OC and how the plot diverts from the original work of The Lost Boys 1987 film, all aspects of the original work taken from the movie belong to their respective creators. I would also like to note that when I began this story, I had completely forgotten about The Lost Boys: The Tribe, in which there is a character named Nicole Emerson. This cannon character has nothing to do with my OC, I just liked the name Nicky an though it would be cute. 
> 
> Please feel free to leave comments. I would love feedback on your thoughts, feelings, and even ideas you have on where this story could go and what you would be interested reading. Please note I rated this Mature for the violence and possible sex scenes, but I do not know how detailed the latter will be as I am not proficient in writing them. :) This will be an experience for both writer and reader. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!


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